Stadium Homophobic Chants Lawsuit: Stop Homophobia Files Suit Against Vincent Labrune
A social media post, showcasing a homophobic chant, has sparked another controversy for the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP). LFP President Vincent Labrune, who manages the Ligue 1 Instagram account, has been targeted with a complaint for public homophobic slurs, as announced by the anti-homophobia association Stop Homophobia on Friday, April 25**.
This since-deleted Instagram post from the L1 account showcased footage from the Saint-Etienne vs. Lyon game. Stop Homophobia alleges that the video contained a "homophobic chant from the crowd: 'Oh Lyonnais, you faggots,'" which was "exaggerated in the stands" the following day during the match, with no intervention from the organizers, according to Stop Homophobia.
The association has been filing complaints since December 2023 against the reoccurring homophobic chants in stadiums and the negligence of football authorities, including broadcasters Amazon and DAZN. For Étienne Deshoulières, Stop Homophobia's lawyer, the shared publication of such a chant "embodies the normalization of homophobia in football".
Repentance from the LFP
AFP received a statement from the LFP, expressing "shock" at this complaint, stemming from the "regrettable sharing of a video clip containing discriminatory remarks by fans". Upon recognizing these remarks, the LFP pulled the video and "apologizes wholeheartedly to anyone who may have been disturbed or affected by this content"*.
During the 2022/2023 season, the LFP's disciplinary commission doled out approximately 202 sanctions for discriminatory behavior, primarily homophobic, during 175 games. In the event of homophobic chants, a game can be halted or even cancelled, according to article 549 of the LFP's competition regulations.
Additional Insights:
Recent reports have highlighted:- Issue resolution: The LFP promptly removed a video during another instance where a homophobic chant surfaced in a different Ligue 1 context[1].- Legal repercussions: STOP Homophobie has filed a complaint against LFP executive Arnaud Rouger for "homophobic public insult" pertaining to content dissemination[3], indicating increased accountability for the governing body.- Precedents: Although not LFP-mandated, PSG's recent denunciation of homophobic chants during their games, such as versus Nantes, highlight persistent problems within French stadiums, with frequent incidents occurring in late 2024 and early 2025[2].
At present, the LFP has yet to announce specific measures tailored to the Saint-Etienne vs. Lyon incident. However, the mounting legal and reputational challenges suggest an intensified push to address systemic discrimination.
- The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) has been embroiled in another controversy, with the LFP President Vincent Labrune facing a complaint for public homophobic slurs, following a social media post showcasing a homophobic chant from a Saint-Etienne vs. Lyon game.
- The video shared on the L1 account, which has since been deleted, was allegedly exaggerated the following day in the stands, with no intervention from the organizers, according to Stop Homophobia.
- The association Stop Homophobia has been filing complaints since December 2023 against the reoccurring homophobic chants in stadiums and the negligence of football authorities, including broadcasters Amazon and DAZN.
- The LFP, in response to the complaint, has expressed shock at the sharing of a video clip containing discriminatory remarks by fans and apologized wholeheartedly for any disturbance or affect caused.
- During the 2022/2023 season, the LFP's disciplinary commission doled out approximately 202 sanctions for discriminatory behavior, primarily homophobic, during 175 games, indicating a concerted effort to tackle homophobia in football. However, more needs to be done, especially in light of the recent incident between Saint-Etienne and Lyon, as the LFP has yet to announce specific measures to address this systemic discrimination.
