BREAKING NEWS : Matic Has been banned from Football.

Nemanja Matic, the former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder now playing for Lyon in Ligue 1, has been handed a two-match ban by the French Football Federation. This sanction follows his action of covering the rainbow-colored anti-homophobia logo on his shirt with tape during Lyon’s final match of the season against Angers on May 18, 2025. The logo was part of Ligue 1’s annual campaign against homophobia.

Matic’s actions drew parallels to previous incidents involving other players. In 2024, Monaco’s Mohamed Camara received a four-match suspension for similar behavior, where he taped over the anti-homophobia logo on his shirt and skipped the pre-match group photo supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Camara’s club, AS Monaco, supported the league’s anti-homophobia campaign but stated that Camara’s actions were a personal decision .

Following Matic’s incident, French Sports Minister Marie Barsacq emphasized the need for football to reflect societal values and stated that homophobic behavior is no longer acceptable. She affirmed that the Federation is committed to promoting inclusivity in football and enforcing appropriate sanctions .
thesun.co.uk

Both Matic and Camara are also required to participate in an awareness campaign about homophobia in football as part of their sanctions.