Matić Banned for Covering Anti-Homophobia Sign
Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matić has been handed a two-match suspension after covering up an anti-homophobia message during a Ligue 1 fixture, drawing criticism amid growing tension over the league’s inclusion campaign.
The 36-year-old Serbian, who joined Lyon from Rennes in January, was seen with tape obscuring a rainbow symbol on his sleeve — part of a long-running Ligue 1 initiative to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in football — during Lyon’s 2-0 win over Angers on 17 May.
Now in its fifth year, the campaign encourages all players to display rainbow-coloured armbands, badges, and banners in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
But Matić, alongside Le Havre striker Ahmed Hassan, 32, taped over the message on his shirt. Both players have received two-match bans, with an additional two matches suspended, from Ligue 1’s disciplinary committee.
Matić, a former Manchester United and Chelsea star, is out of contract with Lyon at the end of June 2025, and there has been no confirmation of a renewal.
This is not the first time the campaign has been met with pushback. Some players have cited personal or religious beliefs as reasons for not participating.
Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed recently withdrew from a crucial relegation match against Montpellier, saying:
“I believe in mutual respect—the respect we owe to others, but also to ourselves and our beliefs. For me, there are deep-rooted values linked to my background that make this initiative difficult to support.”
Similarly, Monaco’s Mohamed Camara was handed a four-match ban last season for covering the same symbol, and several Toulouse players refused to play in 2023 over similar concerns.
Ligue 1 has maintained that the campaign is about promoting respect and inclusion, but the repeated incidents highlight the ongoing friction between the league’s stance and certain players’ personal convictions.
Matić Banned for Covering Anti-Homophobia Sign