The general director of the Professional Football League (LFP), Arnaud Rouger, is the target of a complaint for public insult of a homophobic nature for comments made at the end of November in the Senate, association lawyers indicated on Wednesday in a press release to the AFP.
Mr. Rouger, during a hearing on November 22 before the National Assembly’s commission of inquiry into “operational failures within the French sports federations”, declared: “Today, there is no is not about promoting homosexuality, that’s not our job. On the other hand, fighting homophobia is.”
“The expression too much”
For lawyers William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, advisors to the Rouge direct collective and the Stop Homophobia association, “the resumption by Mr. Rouger of a theory – unfortunately too widespread in the world of football but also in the mouths of political leaders notoriously homophobic in France and abroad – according to which homosexuality would be able to spread, like a disease, is of unprecedented seriousness.
In their complaint, they draw a parallel with countries like Russia or Hungary, which have adopted or tightened legislation relating to “LGBT propaganda” or the “promotion” of homosexuality. “It is also the expression too many, revealing the attitude of the federations which refuse to fight against homophobia, but even more contribute to the phenomenon through their own public expression”, add the lawyers, announcing that they have filed a complaint with Paris for “public insult towards a group of people because of their sexual orientation”.
Comments “taken out of context”
Arnaud Rouger “vigorously contests having made remarks of an insulting or homophobic nature and intends to recall that he has been fighting for 20 years against discrimination in football,” explained his lawyer, Ilana Soskin, in a press release sent to Le Parisien-Aujourd’hui in France. Arnaud Rouger did not make any insulting or homophobic comments. The remarks complained of, which are taken out of context, are neither. »
During this hearing, the president of the LFP Vincent Labrune and Mr. Rouger indicated that they were considering an operation to combat homophobia “clearer” than the rainbow jersey in Ligue 1, that in at least five players from the French championship had refused to wear it. The LFP is “a pioneer in raising awareness” among staff and players in the fight against homophobia, Mr. Rouger also assured, but “it remains very difficult”.
We must make supporters understand that singing homophobic lyrics “is corny,” he added. They must “understand that they are missing the point, and missing the society in which they operate”.
