Mohamed Camara (footballer, born January 2000)

Mohamed Camara (born 6 January 2000) is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for  club Monaco and the Mali national team.

Club career
Camara started his career at AS Real Bamako before joining FC Red Bull Salzburg on five-year deal in 2018.

On 8 January 2019, he was loaned to TSV Hartberg for the rest of the season.

On 18 February 2021, Camara was suspended for three months of all club and international football activities by UEFA, following a doping investigation conducted by UEFA in which Camara tested positive after taking an altitude sickness medicine prescribed by the Malian National Team Doctor.

On 14 August 2022, Monaco announced that Camara signed a five-year contract with the club.

International career
Camara debuted for the Mali national team in a 2–1 friendly loss to South Africa on 13 October 2019.

Controversy
On 19 May 2024, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) celebrated World Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. During this event, Mohamed Camara covered the campaign logo on his jersey, which featured the word 'Homophobie', with a red cross using two pieces of white tape. He also removed the LFP logo in rainbow colors on the sleeves with a black tape. Before the event, he refused to pose for the pre-match group photo in which the football players posed in front of the campaign logo. French Minister of Equal Opportunities and French Sports Minister condemned his actions. The sports minister called his actions "unacceptable behavior" and asked for "strongest sanctions" against Camara. In reference to his actions, the minister of equality tweeted, "Homophobia is not an opinion, it's a crime. And homophobia kills. There must be strict punishment for Mohamed Camara." The French Professional League summoned him for the disciplinary hearing. Monaco's general manager Thiago Scuro apologized and cited religious reasons for the actions of Camara, a Muslim. However, the Malian Football Federation issued a support letter for his actions, citing "fundamental rights". On 30 May 2024, the LFP suspended Camara for four matches.

International

 * Scores and results list Mali's goal tally first.

Honours
Red Bull Salzburg
 * Austrian Bundesliga: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
 * Austrian Cup: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22

Mali U17
 * Africa U-17 Cup of Nations: 2017

Mali U20
 * Africa U-20 Cup of Nations: 2019

Individual

 * Austrian Bundesliga Team of the Year: 2021–22