Ligue 1 Club suspends player for wishing AFCON star a happy birthday

Olympique de Marseille has suspended 18-year-old Rayan Hassad as a precautionary measure after he wished Congolese defender Chancel Mbemba a happy birthday on Instagram.

Mbemba, who starred at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, had already been suspended by the club the previous week due to an alleged incident of poor behaviour towards a member of the club’s management during a training session.

The situation escalated when Hassad posted "happy birthday cousin" on social media, with the club interpreting his use of the word “cousin” as a subtle jab and reference to the incident that led to Mbemba's suspension.

According to the French publication La Provence, this message was the tipping point in a series of complaints against Hassad, leading to the club's decision to suspend him.

In response to the suspension, Hassad took to Instagram to apologise for his actions. The teenager expressed regret for any unintended harm caused by his message, saying, "I was indeed suspended as a precautionary measure by Olympique de Marseille following an Instagram story where I wished a teammate a happy birthday.

"I would like to clarify that at no time did I want to cause harm to my club and its management. If I hurt someone, I apologise, but know that this was never my intention."

Despite the apology, the club has yet to release an official statement regarding the length or conditions of Hassad's suspension.