The LFP is a little more involved in the fight against discrimination.

The Professional Football League joined a listening cell against homophobia on Monday, aiming to "support" players who "remain silent" about their sexual orientation, she announced.

Called "Cry of the locker room", the operation piloted by the Ovale Citoyen association aims to provide "the best possible personalized support" to the players concerned, "by guaranteeing a circle of consent and respect", specifies the LFP in a press release.

The cell is accessible “by phone and chat”.

The National Rugby League (LNR), the UNFP footballers' union and the Provale rugby union are also involved.

Many athletes “remain silent”

The LFP indeed notes that “many [sportspeople] remain silent, very often for fear of rejection or the impossibility of a career”.

So far, no current Ligue 1 player has publicly disclosed their homosexuality.

Coming-outs are very rare in professional football on a global scale.

In 2021, Josh Cavallo, an Australian league footballer, was one of the first active players in the first division to come out as gay, receiving many messages of support.

According to Philippe Lafon, Director General of the UNFP, “it is precisely through information, through example, that we can release this word.

It is often said that sport is a reflection of society, yet we observe this freedom of speech in society.

From now on, sport must be able to go beyond that”.

The LFP has also announced that it has obtained the FIER Sport label from the FIER Foundation, rewarding organizations for their "good behavior in terms of the inclusion of LGBTQIA + people".

The League has been involved for several years in the fight against discrimination, by joining forces with several organizations such as Licra, SOS homophobia, Foot Ensemble and PanamBoyz & Girlz United.

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