Soccer players given two-game bans after concealing anti-homophobia badge
Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Nemanja Matic and Le Havre striker Ahmed Hassan have each been handed two-game bans with a further two matches suspended after they concealed Ligue 1's anti-homophobia insignia on their shirts, the French top-flight said.
Serbian Matic, 36, had put on a tape over the anti-homophobia badge when he came on as a substitute during Lyon's 2-0 home win over Angers on May 17, which was the final day of the Ligue 1 season. His Lyon contract is set to expire at the end of the month.
Egyptian Hassan, 32, also received the same punishment, with the incident having occurred during Le Havre's 3-2 win at Strasbourg.
'In addition, the committee proposed to the player - who immediately accepted at the meeting - that he take part, within six months, in a campaign to raise awareness of the fight against homophobia in football…' Ligue 1 said in a statement on Thursday.
Ligue 1 had planned for players to wear rainbow-coloured symbols on shirts or armbands and display messages in stadiums as part of its annual awareness drive.
Yet participation has been uneven in recent years, with some players citing personal or religious reasons for opting out.
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