Excelsior Rotterdam’s Dutch defender Redouan El Yaakoubi has relinquished the membership captaincy after refusing to pose in a group picture with the OneLove banner forward of a Dutch top-flight recreation, the Eredivisie membership mentioned on Tuesday.
The incident came about on March 19 forward of Excelsior’s 4-1 dwelling win over SC Cambuur and has resulted in a joint determination between El Yaakoubi and the membership to discover a new captain.
The OneLove marketing campaign embraces inclusiveness, connection, tolerance and opposition to all types of discrimination.
“Not taking a seat behind the big OneLove banner in the course of the group picture has precipitated plenty of noise and misunderstanding, each internally and externally,” Excelsior mentioned on their web site.
The membership added they’d by no means exclude anybody “on the premise of pores and skin color, origin, faith, or sexual desire. However neither will we exclude anybody on the premise of their very own opinion.”
“Though we’re primarily a soccer membership, we realise higher than anybody that we even have a social perform and we do one thing with that every single day,” the assertion added.
“The OneLove motion, nonetheless effectively intentioned, has put issues on edge. Forcing folks into one thing isn’t the best way to go.
“Subsequently, within the curiosity of the membership, the participant and sporting goal we now have collectively determined to position the captain’s armband elsewhere throughout the group in order that each membership and participant be happy and comfy of their position.”
Excelsior are fifteenth within the standings on 23 factors from 26 video games, two factors above the relegation zone playoffs.
