National backlash as Gana Gueye joins Mans FC amid boycott calls

Idrissa Gana Gueye’s appointment as investor at Mans FC has sparked a boycott call, with groups condemning the move as unethical. The controversy stems from the Senegalese midfielder’s 2022 refusal to wear a rainbow‑striped shirt while at Paris Saint‑Germain (PSG), an incident highlighted during the Africa Cup of Nations Final at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on 18 January 2026.

Boycott call from anti‑homophobia collective

The National collective against homophobia, racism, anti‑semitism and all discrimination issued a statement on Thursday, calling the investment a “major ethical drift”. It warned that accepting a personality who publicly rejected anti‑discrimination campaigns amounts to financial cynicism, adding that “Homophobia is not an opinion”. The collective also declared that “It is a crime”.

In 2022, while playing for Paris Saint‑Germain (PSG), Gueye refused to travel to Montpellier for the 37th Ligue 1 match after declining to wear a rainbow‑striped shirt in memory of LGBTQ groups. That episode remains a focal point of the current criticism.

Idrissa Gana Gueye is currently gathering with the Lions of the Teranga (Sénégal) for the first two matchdays of the CAN 2027 qualifiers. His involvement with the national side underscores his continued prominence in Senegalese football.

The boycott appeal puts pressure on Mans FC, whose owners must now balance the financial boost against mounting public criticism in France. The club’s decision has been described as a choice of financial cynicism at the expense of ethical and republican values.