FC Nantes player Mostafa Mohamed refuses to play on the day of the fight against homophobia

By The New Obs with AFP

Published on May 16, 2025 at 8:02 p.m.

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Reading time: 1 min.

Egyptian FC Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed justified his absence from Saturday's match against Montpellier on Friday, May 16, by his "origins" and "faith." This match, like the other matches on Matchday 34 of Ligue 1, is part of an initiative against homophobia, sparking political reactions.

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"Certain deeply rooted values, linked to my origins and my faith, make my participation in this initiative difficult," wrote the 27-year-old player in a story written in Arabic and then in French on the social network Instagram.

Due to his absence for the final day of the season, in a decisive match for the future of the Canaries, the club decided to sanction him financially.

Accustomed to this, having already refused during the last two seasons to take part in the day when the French football elite denounces violence and discrimination against homosexuals, the player believes that his refusal to take part "expresses neither rejection nor judgment, only a loyalty to what builds me" .

"Everyone carries within them a history, a culture, a sensitivity. Living together also means recognizing that this diversity can be expressed differently depending on the person," argued the international striker (47 caps, 13 goals).

"I believe in mutual respect - the respect we owe to others, but also the respect we owe to ourselves and our beliefs," he added.

"In the French Republic, faith is not and will never be above the law. Homophobia is not a 'sensitivity' or a 'diversity', it is a crime," reacted the Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, Aurore Bergé, on X, adding that "it is time that clear sanctions are taken." According to her, the LFP initiative must "be respected by all."