Serge Aurier's PSG rant highlights issue of homophobia in football says FARE chief

Anti-discrimination chief Piara Powar believes Paris Saint-Germain must take further action against Serge Aurier and not get caught up in trying to 'protect their asset'.

Aurier was handed an indefinite suspension by the club after a video emerged online showing the Ivory Coast international allegedly directing homophobic slurs at a number of club figures, including Blanc. Aurier has since apologised for the comments.

"I think sometimes what happens is managers, players and football people get involved in wanting to protect the asset," Powar, who is head of the anti-discrimination FARE Network, told Sky Sports.

"We don't really sack top, top players because of misdemeanours and that often tells you something.

"Personally, I don't think footballers should be treated like any other employee but within the game they are seen as prime assets, they are sometimes seen as individuals that are untouchable. They definitely need to take action further than suspending him for the time being."

Speaking ahead of PSG's league encounter with Reims on Saturday, Blanc revealed a decision about Aurier's future in Paris is still yet to be made. 

"The club will take a decision, not the coach," the PSG boss said.

"I will certainly have a conversation with him, but everyone will have to respect the decision made by the club. After that is handed down, we will know whether we can count on him for the remainder of the season."

The incident came midway through Football v Homophobia month in this country and Powar believes it illustrates why homophobia remains a big issue in the modern-day game.

"I think incidents like this highlight what needs to be done," he said.

"Sometimes people don't understand the seriousness of these things and the context in which they have been said.

"That's because players are so rarely caught dismissing their coach and their star player in that way. And that is the thing that some people have focussed on rather than the abusive language that has been used towards Laurent Blanc.

"The FvH [Football v Homophobia] guys have been busy working this month and then this blows up and it just shows the challenges that we face.

Sometimes people don't understand the seriousness of these things and the context in which they have been said.

"In France there are active LGBT groups using football to tackle societal homophobia as well as working in football because of the problems that it has. I guess for those people this incident demonstrates the need for renewed effort."

Powar was speaking at a fundraising dinner for the social inclusion campaign Kick It Out, hosted at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium.

Kick It Out chair Lord Herman Ouseley believes homophobia in the game is an issue that football's stakeholders remain reluctant to confront.

"Although this is something that has happened in France we cannot ignore its impact," Lord Ouseley said.

"People who have those prejudices, who read about this and hear about this, will be having those prejudices reinforced.

"What we're about is helping people deal with those prejudices and homophobia, like casual sexism, is one issue that is still around in football that people think we should leave to one side and not touch."