It’s being reported that Paris St Germain midfielder Idrissa Gueye missed his club’s win over Montpellier on Saturday because he refused to play in a shirt promoting homosexuality.
Gueye, who also plays for Senegal and is a devout Muslim, travelled with the PSG squad but was absent from their team sheet.
The PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino later revealed the player “had to leave the team sheet for personal reasons. But he isn’t injured.”
All of Ligue 1’s games last weekend featured the LGBTQ+ flag on players’ shirt numbers and captains’ armbands as part of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
“On World Day Against Homophobia, our jerseys will have the rainbow flag, symbol of peace and diversity of the LGBT movement,” PSG said before the game.
Gueye missed the same round of games last season for what was reported at the time as “stomach problems.”
His representatives denied he boycotted the fixture last season but have yet to release a statement on his absence on Saturday.
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Gueye, 32, started his career in Senegal before joining French club Lille. He then moved to England with Aston Villa and Everton.
In 2019, Gueye returned to France by signing for the reigning Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain.
Gueye made his debut for Senegal in 2011. In 2018, he played for Senegal at the FIFA World Cup. Gueye helped his country win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.
