Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has jumped to the defence of Serge Aurier, who was banned by Paris Saint-Germain yesterday following homophobic remarks he made about his manager Laurent Blanc and teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
In a session on the video streaming service Periscope on Saturday evening, 23-year-old Aurier alleged that Ibrahimovic and Blanc had engaged in oral sex, as well as branding the latter "a faggot".
PSG have not sacked the Ivorian, but instead suspended him until the campaign's conclusion when it is expected that he will be placed on the transfer list.
However, while the French club's punishment has been widely praised, Drogba has stood up for his fellow countryman.
"I don't often comment on these things but the way my little brother Serge Aurier has been treated over the past few days has really upset me so I feel the need to say something," he wrote on Twitter.
"Yes he made a mistake. Yes he said things he should not have said, but we have all made mistakes, players (myself included, coaches, managers, referees, club presidents, even the fans! How can young players learn from their mistakes if they are not given proper support and advice?
"Should we not be educating younger players on how ton behave, preparing them for a world where social media can make or break your career? Or are we simply pointing the finger and banning some players but not others? Which simply achieves nothing."
Aurier joined the Parisians from fellow Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse in July 2014.
Liam Apicella
