A MAINLY Muslim non-league French side said they would, after all, take on rivals consisting of gay players, four days after snubbing them.
Paris Foot Gay (PFG)
Paris Foot Gay (PFG) – according to this report – were set to play fellow Creteil side Bebel, who are composed of mainly Muslim players last week but Bebel cried off a day beforehand, sending an email in which they regretted they could not honour the match as doing so was “against their principles”.
PFG’s co-founder and current president Pascal Brethes said the team received an e-mail from the Muslim side which said:
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.
It added:
Our convictions are stronger than a game of football. Sorry to have informed you so late.
PFG deplored what they saw as a “homophobic” decision.
But later Bebel director Zahir Belgharbi insisted there had been “a misunderstanding” and sent out a statement through club lawyer Benedicte Puybasset indicating they were indeed ready “to play the match”.
Puybasset said he regretted that the matter had grown out of all proportion, but local league president Jacques Stouvenel said both clubs had been summoned to a meeting to assess the situation, and warned that Bebel could be disciplined or even thrown out of the league.
Belgharbi said the club’s statement was designed to:
Re-establish the truth and settle everything on the grounds of good sense. We had rejected playing this match not on the grounds of homophobia, as we have been accused of doing, but simply because the name of the club (PFG) did not seem to us to reflect our vision of sport.
Belgharbi said his club believed no ethnic or religious slant should be placed on footballing matters.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
October 13th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Has there ever been a case of a gay soccer club refusing to play Muslims? I can't believe I'm even asking this question…
October 13th, 2009 at 7:44 am
Snivelling two faced liars! They were being honest the first time round when they announced their bigotry and homophobia.
I guess all religionists are experts at dishonesty and lies, having based their entire lives on outragous falsehoods and peurile stories.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Who won the match?
October 13th, 2009 at 8:16 am
A "misunderstanding" again, eh? No; I think we all understand perfectly well what was going on in these bigots' minds, thank you very much!
October 13th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Sorry, shargraves, your comment was not visible when I made mine!
October 13th, 2009 at 8:45 am
It's always a misunderstanding or taken out of context!! Bigotry seems to have some damaging effect on communicational skills.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:48 am
If only Zahir Belgharbi's name contained an 'N' (remigius will know what I mean!). However, Benedicte Puybasset
October 13th, 2009 at 8:49 am
If only Zahir Belgharbi's name contained an 'N' (remigius will know what I mean!).
October 13th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I'll try again! Benedicte Puybasset's anagram just jumps out of the page at you: Bee Bite End Pussycat!! (Or even Bee Bite Pussycat End!)
October 13th, 2009 at 10:22 am
And of course we all know what would happen if a Gay team, fearing muzzies endemic and rabid homophobia, refused to play the muzzies.
Just another thought: I don't suppose these bigoted muzzies would mind playing a team of lesbians.
October 13th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
If you read the reports carefully, I think you'll find a homophobic Muslim DIRECTOR said the team wouldn't play. His Muslim players then told him to sod off, they had no problem with gays & were playing, and he put out a statement to save face.
I think that is important, because it demonstrates the root of a problem. Government only talks to Muslim leaders, and the longer that goes on and a few little Hitlers build a nice power base the worse it will get. Us falling into some 'they're all the same' mentality won't help much either.
October 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
That's quite alright old chap. Great minds etc. ;o)
October 13th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Whether there's been dishonesty or power games involved in the reversal of this decision, at least it's a sign of progress that the decision was indeed reversed. I agree with Stuart that we ought to encourage the moderates and not just assume they're all hardline homophobes. Islam is a bigoted religion but there are muslims trying to distance themselves and their personal beliefs from the worst aspects of the creed.
October 13th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I thought they changed their minds after being threatened with expulsion from the league! You're right about this lying creep Belgharbi, though. He first defends their bigotry with the ridiculous excuse that calling your team "gay" is using an "ethnic or religious slant", and in the very next breath states that Bebel is "a team of practising Muslims"!!
October 13th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
They need to distance themselves from this vile religion, period!
October 14th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Easier said than done, barriejohn. It's not like ending your subscription to Reader's Digest. If all your family and friends are traditional muslims, and the sharia punishment for leaving your religion is death, there's going to need to be a few more generations of muslim moderates before leaving Islam becomes as easy leaving Christianity.
October 14th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Easier said than done, barriejohn. It's not like ending your subscription to Reader's Digest. If all your family and friends are traditional muslims, and the sharia punishment for leaving your religion is death, there's going to need to be a few more generations of muslim moderates before leaving Islam becomes as easy as leaving Christianity.
October 14th, 2009 at 6:12 am
They're in France, not Saudi Arabia! I left the Plymouth Brethren, though I'm still harrassed by them – but they know where they can go!!
October 14th, 2009 at 7:23 am
No. But there have been many cases where a gay team have refused to play because the colours in the opposition strip just didn't go with their own.
Lilac and green? Oh I don't think so!
October 14th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Very funny! (Someone's going to post a comment now saying that this actually happened!!)
Blue and green should not be seen without a referee in between!
October 14th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Wonder if they would refuse to run in a 100m sprint against Tyson Gay?