BERN, Switzerland (AP) — A soccer player judged to have used the word “gay” as an insult in a post-game interview was fined 2,000 Swiss francs ($2,070) by the Swiss Football League on Tuesday.
The league said its tribunal declined to suspend Lucerne goalkeeper Marius Müller and judged that his words had been thoughtless but not homophobic.
Müller, a 29-year-old German, criticized the play of his teammates in a television interview after a 4-1 loss against St. Gallen on Aug. 13.
He and his club later apologized on social media and the league opened a disciplinary case.
Müller’s statement had not targeted a player, referee or spectator at the stadium, the league said, “but rather expressed frustration” at his teammates’ inadequate defensive work.
Lucerne said Tuesday it accepted the verdict.
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