Al-Azhar joined in solidarity with the position of Mustafa Mohamed (Nantes striker) and Zakaria Abou Khalal (Toulouse striker) refusing to participate in a French football league campaign in support of gays. The Egyptian star's absence came after he made 34 consecutive starts, whether as a starter or substitute, and scored 8 goals, after refusing to wear shirts with rainbow numbers.
Mostafa was fined by his club for refusing to take part in the campaign. The Observatory is Egypt's highest religious authority and one of world's top religious education centers for Sunni Muslims.