Soccer Team Rejects Gay French Player

Yoann Lemaire x390 (fair) | ADVOCATE.COM

A 14-year French soccer veteran who took a brief hiatus from his team after fellow players publicly made homophobic remarks says his requests to rejoin the team have been rejected.

Yoann Lemaire took a break from the team in May 2009 when teammates made homophobic statements on camera. A rough translation of the letter from Chooz soccer club president Frédéric Pretty says, "The invoked reasons are to protect the two parties," according to Outsports.com. "It is important to us, considering the passion since the events of May 2009 and the media coverage that resulted, to avoid again incidents. "

Lemaire said only two out of 60 players on the team have a problem with his sexual orientation. Rémi Vienot, assistant to the mayor of Chooz, told the newspaper Le Monde the team was the first French soccer club to sign the charger against homophobia in soccer.

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Reader Comments

Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Fred Stanley
Date posted: 9/8/2010 9:57:26 PM
Hometown: Palm Springs, CA

Comment:
I firmly believe that all members of the soccer team are in the closet!!!
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Allaire
Date posted: 9/8/2010 3:11:36 AM
Hometown: WH

Comment:
Not only are they a lousy team with a disgraceful attitude and little respect, now they are below all decency. What happened to punishing the people who did something wrong not the innocent? How can they be sure it would happen again? So much for French liberty. It gives the French a bad name.

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