Muslims won't play with the gays!

We often see claims of racism and homophobia in sport today, more often than not though it is the fans who are accused of chants that are not as PC as they perhaps should be.

So when news of this story reached my in box from a few sources, I dug around and to be honest was appalled.

A Muslim amateur football team Creteil Bebel has pulled out of its planned game this weekend with Paris Foot Gay (PFG), saying it was against their religious beliefs to play against homosexuals.

In fact, Zahir Belgarbi, one of the team directors told Reuters: "As a Muslim, I have the right not to play against homosexuals because I don't share their ideas."

Another team member explained to a local French radio station: "We're sorry if anyone feels insulted. (But) as a Muslim I still have the right to decide not to play because I don't agree with their philosophy."

So, if it is the philosophy of being gay they have an issue with they would never play football against any other team in the world unless they were a Muslim team, or do I have that all wrong?

Paris Foot Gay was set up in 2003 in the poor suburbs of Paris to fight homophobia which was rampant in those parts of Paris and they have proved their very worth and although have had some insults over the years never on such a scale as this.

Paris Foot Gay are being supported not only by Paris authorities but also human rights groups and they have also said they make take legal action against Creteil Bebel.

For crying out loud, if the boot had been on the other foot (sorry about the pun) can you imagine the racism claims, and rightly so, so why can a team be openly homophobic and get away with it?

I write this and say this as an openly gay man - Creteil Bebel are not doing themselves or the Muslim community itself any favours, mainly because of the words they chose to use "I don't agree with their philosophy."

The reason I say this is because surely they don't agree with the philosophy of Christianity, or Catholicism and well, people who eat pork?

They have never refused to play against any of those from what I can ascertain so why is a team that is fighting homophobia and discrimination any different?

I think this is a sad day not just for sport, but for diversity itself.

As featured on Lib Dem Voice, a joint blog post.