Retoked. TheUefa on Tuesday refused the city of Munich’s plan to light up its stadium in the rainbow colors of the LGBT community for the Euro Germany-Hungary match on Wednesday (9 p.m.), to protest against a law deemed discriminatory recently voted in Hungary. “By its statutes, UEFA is a politically and religiously neutral organization,” said the European confederation in a press release.
“Given the political context of this request – a message aimed at a decision taken by the Hungarian national parliament – UEFA must refuse this request,” she adds. The European body, which says “understand that the intention is also to send a message to promote diversity and inclusion”, however accepts the idea and proposes alternative dates for the illumination of the stadium in rainbow. -ciel: “Either June 28 – Christopher Street Liberation Day (local Gay pride) – or between July 3 and 9 which corresponds to the week of Christopher Street Day in Munich,” she explains in her press release.
Organizer of the Euro, UEFA also recalls that it has long campaigned in favor of diversity and equality in football. “Racism, homophobia, sexism and all forms of discrimination are a stain on our societies,” she says, “and represent one of the biggest problems facing gambling today. Discriminatory behavior has marred both matches and, outside the stadiums, online discourse around the sport we love, ”said the body, which announced on Sunday the opening of a disciplinary investigation into a homophobic banner deployed in Budapest during Hungary-Portugal (0-3) last week.
The Federation agreed
On Monday, the German Football Association agreed to have the Munich stadium lit up in rainbow colors during the Euro, but not necessarily on the day of the match against Hungary. The idea came from the municipality of Munich, to send “a visible sign of solidarity with the LGBTI community in Hungary”. Munich adds its voice to those in Europe who condemn the policy of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which is considered discriminatory against sexual minorities.
In addition, the German Federation had confirmed Monday that UEFA had given the green light to the wearing of a rainbow captain’s armband by Manuel Neuer. The European body said that it saw no reason to sanction Germany “considering that this gesture promotes a good cause”. Neuer wears this armband “as a sign of the adhesion of the whole Mannschaft to the values of diversity, openness, tolerance, against hatred and discrimination,” said the spokesman for the Mannschaft.
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