May 19, (THEWILL) – Idrissa Gana Gueye, a Paris Saint-Germain footballer, embroiled in a homophobia issue in France, has received the support of Senegalese President, Macky Sall.
Because players at French teams were urged to wear rainbow-colored numbers on the back of their shirts, to commemorate World Day Against Homophobia on May 17, Gueye, a devout Muslim, skipped PSG’s match against Montpellier.
Gueye was excused from Saturday’s game for “personal reasons”, according to PSG head coach, Mauricio Pochettino.
The president of Senegal, on the other hand, has declared his support for the player. In a Twitter post, Sall declared: “I support Idrissa Gana Gueye. His religious convictions must be respected.”
Gueye himself has been silent on the topic. But, citizens in the Muslim-dominated West African country, where being in a same-sex relationship is punishable by up to five years in prison, hailed President Sall’s show of support, which comes despite an uptick in the arrest and prosecution of LGBTQ community members in recent years.
However, Gueye has been summoned by the French Football Federation’s (FFF) National Council of Ethics, to explain his suspected boycott of the Saturday game. Valérie Pécresse, a French politician, also wants Gueye punished for his lack of support for the LGBTQ community.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
