Gueye refused to wear PSG shirt with rainbow emblem

Idrissa Gueye of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has refused to participate in a match in order to avoid wearing a rainbow emblem in favor of LGBTQ+ rights.

The former Aston Villa and Everton midfielder missed Saturday’s 4-0 triumph over Montpellier.

Mauricio Pochettino, the PSG manager, merely confirmed Gueye was absent due to “personal reasons.”

Gueye apparently received a letter from the French Football Federation (FFF) explaining his absence.

Cheikhou Kouyate of Crystal Palace and Ismaila Sarr of Watford have both commented on social media in apparent support of their Senegalese teammate.

On Instagram, Kouyate uploaded a photo of himself alongside Gueye with the description “a real man.”

Sarr, a Watford winger, captioned a photo of himself and Gueye with three heart emojis and the phrase “100% “.

Watford reaffirmed their commitment to equality and diversity in response to Sarr’s article, adding that “this includes the willingness to offer further education and help to any of its staff.”

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira said he would speak to any of his players who had posted about Gueye during a press conference on Wednesday. “It will be an internal discussion,” he added.

In Senegal, homosexuality is prohibited and punishable by up to five years in jail.

For the second year in a row, clubs in France have been encouraged to wear rainbow-design numbers on the back of their shirts to commemorate the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia on May 17th.

Gueye, who joined PSG for £30 million in July 2019, missed last year’s display of solidarity due to gastroenteritis, according to Le Parisien, who first revealed the cause for his absence.

An international news agency reported on Wednesday that Gueye had received a letter from the FFF’s ethics board demanding an explanation for his absence from Saturday’s game.

According to the agency, the letter demands that he “make a public apology” or state that the rumors about his refusal to perform are “unfounded.”

According to the letter, if he refuses to play, he will be “validating discriminatory behavior.”

PSG said they were “extremely happy to wear this shirt” on Wednesday.

“On Saturday, the biggest talents in international football were on the pitch, expressing the club’s commitment to the battle against homophobia and all forms of discrimination,” the statement continued.

Leading Senegalese politicians have backed Gueye’s position.

On Twitter, the country’s president Macky Sall stated that Gueye’s Muslim views must be respected, while sports minister Matar Ba stated that Gueye has the support of the people of his country, with a photo of the midfielder on a pilgrimage to Mecca.