Olivier Rouyer, former international footballer and the only professional French player to have revealed his homosexuality, was the guest of the Grand Evening Newspaper of Europe 1. At the microphone of François Klauss, he contests the notion of "folklore" often put forward for to justify insults and homophobic songs.

INTERVIEW

Last Friday, French football experienced an unprecedented moment with the stop, the time of a minute, the match of Ligue 2 between Nancy and Le Mans because of a homophobic song. Two days later, homophobic insults were also heard in the stands of the match Ligue 1 PSG-Rennes, without the broadcaster or the commentators react. "It is no longer possible, in 2019, in a football stadium, to hear what we heard including Nancy Friday night," said Tuesday Olivier Rouyer on Europe 1.

Match stopped because homophobic songs in Nancy! for the first time a referee applies the instructions! We are going forward! Congratulations to those who want it to move @ LFPfr @ MarleneSchiappa @ JacquesVendroux @ RoxaMaracineanu @ PanamboyzUtd @ SOShomophobie @ EmmanuelMacron

- yoann lemaire (@LemaireYoann) August 17, 2019

"In my day there was no such kind of song"

The former international, now a consultant, has expressed his frustration with the homophobic songs and insults that have been regularly chanted in the stadiums for more than 20 years. "I can not stand this habit anymore, I can not stand the fact that we can say that it's folklore, that in a football stadium, we can afford anything and everything." He, who was the first French professional player to reveal his homosexuality to the general public in the 1980s, remembers: "In my day, when I was a player, there was no such kind of song in the stands. "

Relaunched by an auditor who evokes the "stadium as an outlet" where the insults are uttered "without ulterior motive", Olivier Rouyer retorts that these practices exist only in football. "The only thing I do not understand anymore and that I can not accept any more is that when I go to handball, when I go to see basketball or rugby, I do not hear that kind of shouting", note -t it. "It's only in football that I hear these words, and it's unbearable."

To change mentalities

Nearly eighteen Ligue 1, Ligue 2 and League Cup matches have been reported in homophobic reports since the beginning of this season. An increase in reports due to the evolution of society, according to the former sportsman. "The society takes different orientations and it is simply necessary that the mentality of the football stadiums changes with", insists Olivier Rouyer. "We must stop saying that it does not matter, that it is quite normal that we can treat the players of PD, enc ..., etc. And this concerns players and spectators adversaries."