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Lyon midfielder and former Manchester United star Nemanja Matic has been handed a four-match ban for taping over an anti-homophobia logo on his shirt during a Ligue 1 match.
The 36-year-old Serb concealed the symbol during Lyon’s 2-0 win over Angers on May 17, Ligue 1’s designated campaign day against homophobia. Matic and Le Havre striker Ahmed Hassan, 32, both covered the logos with tape.
The French league issued each player a two-match suspension and two additional matches suspended. Matic, who joined Lyon 18 months ago from Rennes, has not yet agreed to new terms with the club as his contract expires at the end of June.
The anti-homophobia display is part of a Ligue 1 campaign now in its fifth year. Players are asked to wear a rainbow patch and a logo with the word “homophobia” in French crossed out, with “football” written underneath. Banners are also displayed in stadiums.
Matic, who previously played for Benfica, Chelsea, Roma and Manchester United, has drawn attention in the past for his stances on symbolic gestures and socio-political messages in sport. A key figure at Lyon, he has even captained the team and came on as a substitute in their win over Angers, which secured Europa League qualification.
On May 17 — the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia — Matic appeared on the pitch with a white material covering the rainbow logo.
France’s Sports Minister Marie Barsacq criticized Matic’s action, stating: “Football has a massive platform, and the (French Football) Federation is determined to put this issue on the clubs’ and supporters’ agenda.”
The campaign has faced growing resistance, with some players citing religious beliefs. Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed, 27, refused to play in his team’s crucial relegation match against Montpellier on the same day.
“I believe in mutual respect — the respect we owe others but also the respect we owe to ourselves and our beliefs,” Mohamed said on Instagram. “For me, there are deep-rooted values linked to my background and my beliefs that make my participation in this initiative difficult.”
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Last season, then-Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara was banned for four matches for taping over the logo. In 2023, some Toulouse players missed a match after expressing opposition to the rainbow colors.
Le Havre’s Hassan received the same punishment as Matic. According to the disciplinary commission, both players agreed to participate within six months in an awareness campaign on fighting homophobia in football, in collaboration with an expert association working alongside the league.
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