French Muslim team refuse to play gay rivals

A mainly Muslim team has been thrown out of a local Paris league after refusing to face a side of gay players.

“The Creteil Bebel team is excluded from the Leisure Football Commission for refusing a match and (making) discriminatory comments,” the commission’s website said Wednesday.

The decision was taken at the body’s management committee on Tuesday night, the posting said.

Paris Foot Gay (PFG) were set to play fellow Creteil side Bebel, who are composed of mainly Muslim players, on October 4.

Bebel cried off a day before in an email.

“Sorry, but because of the name of your team and in keeping with the principles of the team, which is a team of practising Muslims, we cannot play against you,” the message said

“Our convictions are stronger than a game of football.”

PFG’s co-founder and president Pascal Brethes deplored a “homophobic” decision.

After an attempted compromise with Bebel claiming a “misunderstanding”, the club again refused to face PFG.

Club lawyer Benedicte Puybasset put out a statement last Saturday denying “homophobia” but stating that PFG’s name “does not seem to reflect our vision of sport, which for us is free from any sectarian, ethnic or religious slant.”

Brethes says his club is a haven for all races and also welcomes non-gay players.