- France’s Sports Minister Calls for Action Against Mohamed Camara
France’s Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra has called for sanctions against Monaco’s midfielder Mohamed Camara. The call came after Camara covered a message supporting LGBTQ on his jersey during the team’s final league match on Sunday.
During the French championship’s annual campaign against discrimination, each team wore a badge with the word “homophobia” crossed out. This campaign, held during the weekend’s final phase, aims to promote inclusivity and condemn discrimination.
Camara, however, chose to cover the badge and also boycotted the pre-match group photo where players stood in front of a banner bearing the same message. His actions took place during Monaco’s 4–0 victory over Nantes.
Describing Camara’s behavior as “unacceptable,” Sports Minister Oudéa-Castéra has called for “firm sanctions” against both the player and Monaco football club. Aurore Bergé, the French Minister of Equal Opportunities, also condemned Camara on social media, emphasizing the gravity of homophobia. “Homophobia is not an opinion, it is a crime,” she wrote on X. “And homophobia kills. Mohamed Camara must be severely punished.”
Monaco’s coach, Adi Hütter, commented post-match that the club supports the league’s initiative, attributing Camara’s actions to “a personal choice.” The club has announced plans to discuss the matter internally with Camara.
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This incident marks the fourth consecutive season that French professional clubs have participated in campaigns supporting the LGBTQ movement by wearing rainbow-colored numbers, armbands, or badges. Each year, these initiatives are met with similar controversies.
In 2022, Everton’s Senegalese-born midfielder Idrissa Gueye, then playing for PSG, refused to participate in a match requiring players to wear rainbow-colored jerseys. Senegalese President Macky Sall supported Gueye, stating that “his religious convictions must be respected.”
Last year, Nantes fined Egyptian striker Mostafa Mohamed for similar reasons. Notably, Mohamed did not participate in Sunday’s match, and Camara did not play in the equivalent match last season either.
As this debate continues, we continue to see the West trying to push their lifestyle on Africans. Sadly, because African leaders have largely been abysmal in their jobs, they have failed to provide the economic growth that is required to give Africa the voice it needs against these cultural impositions by the West.
Source: Africa News