Report: Man Utd scrapped LGBTQ+ jacket after Mazraoui refused to join in
Manchester United abandoned plans to wear an Adidas jacket in support of the LGBTQ+ community after full-back Noussair Mazraoui refused to participate, according to The Athletic's Adam Crafton.
United have worn pride-themed warm-up jerseys and walk-out jackets ahead of matches in the past, but a similar gesture for Sunday's Premier League visit from Everton was scrapped after Mazraoui, citing his Muslim faith, said he wouldn't join the initiative.
The club shelved the jackets just hours before kickoff so Mazraoui's refusal wouldn't be made public. Some Manchester United players were unhappy with this decision, Crafton understands.
"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," United said in a statement sent to The Athletic.
Premier League captains, including United's Bruno Fernandes, are wearing rainbow armbands as part of the Rainbow Laces campaign. The initiative runs across two matchdays each season in partnership with the charity Stonewall, which promotes equality, diversity and LGBTQ+ acceptance.
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi wore a rainbow armband but wrote pro-Christian messages on it. The English international reportedly escaped punishment despite the Football Association's restrictions on religious messages. Ipswich Town's Sam Morsy, who was born in England but represents Egypt internationally, didn't participate in the Rainbow Laces drive and wore a regular captain's armband.
Ipswich released a statement to express their support for the LGBTQ+ community and say that Morsy's decision was "due to his religious beliefs," according to BBC Sport.
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