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Ruben Amorim addressed Manchester United's squad's decision to ditch their pro-LGBTQ rainbow jackets plan.
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has defended the decision of the players to scrap their plans of wearing rainbow-coloured jackets in support of the LGBTQ community after defender Noussair Mazraoui pulled out.
As part of the Rainbow Laces campaign, the Red Devils, in collaboration with Adidas, planned on donning the specially made jackets ahead of their 4-0 win against Everton.
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Hours before the match, however, the 27-year-old defender dissented, citing his religious beliefs. In a show of solidarity, the rest of the squad opted against it as well, so the Morocco international is not isolated, and the decision has been met with backlash.
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Manchester United's statement
In reaction to the backlash that ensued, and a reportedly disappointed Adidas, the Red Devils revealed the following statement.
“Manchester United welcomes fans from all backgrounds, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, and we are strongly committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion.”
“We demonstrate these principles through a range of activities, including support for our Rainbow Devils supporters’ club and campaigns to celebrate our LGBTQ+ fans and combat all forms of discrimination.
“Players are entitled to hold their own individual opinions, particularly in relation to their faith, and these may sometimes differ from the club’s position.”
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What Amorim said
Ahead of their clash against Nottingham Forest, the Red Devils boss was asked about the incident, and he had the following to say.
"It was a group decision as players, as it should be,” Amorim told reporters. “There are three difficult things to manage. On one side it’s club values and I think all can agree that it’s not an issue but then you have religion, which you have to respect.
“It’s our values to respect other opinions. And then the third thing is the group thing. I won’t leave Nous [Mazraoui] alone; we’re a team. The majority of the players believe in one thing but they saw one guy alone and said, ‘Let’s be together.’
“It’s three things we have to manage and respect. It’s a hard issue to address. I think we did it in a good way. This club represents... We need to respect everything but we also respect the religion of Nous and his culture."
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