French soccer club Toulouse had to make a few lineup changes for its Sunday match after several players refused to wear rainbow-colored numbers and hold LGBTQ+ banners as part of Ligue 1’s anti-homophobia campaign. “Some players of the professional squad have expressed their disagreement regarding the association of their image with the rainbow colors representing the LGBT movement,” Toulouse said in a statement. “Although respecting the individual choices of its players, and after numerous exchanges, the Toulouse Football Club has chosen to exclude these players from the game.” The team didn’t disclose which players had declined to participate, but forward Zakaria Aboukhlal confirmed via social media that he was one. “Respect is a value that I hold in great esteem,” Aboukhal said on Twitter. “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.”
