Man United Player Refuses to Wear Rainbow Jacket in LGBTQ+ Support Gesture

This refusal has provoked strong reactions, particularly from the Rainbow Devils, a group of Manchester United supporters committed to defending LGBTQ+ rights. In a statement relayed on social media, the association expressed its disappointment, recalling the work done upstream by the club’s members to organize this action. "It was obviously a great disappointment for the Rainbow Devils, but also for all the people within the club who had worked hard to organize this event," they said.

While the Rainbow Devils say they respect Mazraoui’s personal choice, they regret that he has put his teammates in a delicate situation, preventing them from wearing the jacket. The association is also concerned about the negative consequences this incident could have on the club’s players who may be questioning their sexual orientation. "We are also concerned about the negative consequences this incident could have on the club’s players who are struggling with their sexuality."

This is not the first time the Moroccan defender, who has played for Ajax Amsterdam and Bayern Munich, has been involved in this type of controversy. Last May, while playing for Bayern, Mazraoui had publicly supported his compatriot Zakaria Aboukhlal, a Toulouse FC player, who had refused to participate in a similar operation in France. At the time, the Bavarian supporters had expressed their displeasure by displaying a banner in the stadium: "All colors are beautiful. In Toulouse, Munich and everywhere. Respect our values, Mazraoui!"