Toulouse players left out of squad after refusal to offer LGBT support

Several Toulouse players were withdrawn from the squad for the Ligue 1 game against Nantes on Sunday after they refused to have their names associated with a league-wide gesture of support against homophobia, the club said.

“Some players from the professional squad have expressed their disagreement with the association of their image with the rainbow colours representing the LGBT movement,” Toulouse said in a statement.

“While respecting the individual choices of its players, and after numerous exchanges, Toulouse Football Club has chosen to leave the said players out of the match.”

Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 players were asked this weekend to wear rainbow-coloured numbers on their shirts as a gesture of support for the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on Wednesday.

The Toulouse and Morocco forward Zakaria Aboukhlal said he did not want to take part in the game. “I have made the decision not to take part in today’s game,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Respect is a value that I hold in great esteem. It extends to others, but it also encompasses respect for my own personal beliefs. Hence, I don’t believe I am the most suitable person to participate in this campaign.”

RB Leipzig struck twice late at home to snatch a 2-1 comeback win against Werder Bremen on Sunday and reclaim third place in the Bundesliga with two matches remaining. Willi Orban headed in an 87th-minute equaliser to cancel out Leonardo Bittencourt's 70th-minute opener before Christopher Nkunku delivered another assist in stoppage time for Dominik Szoboszlai to tap in the winner. Leipzig, who next week face the Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, are third on 60 points, one ahead of Union Berlin in fourth, and four in front of fifth-placed