Fans have been left outraged at UEFA after turning down a stadium request to light up the Allianz Arena as a rainbow in support and protest.
UEFA have turned down a request made by the mayor of Munich for the city’s stadium to be lit up in rainbow colours for the Euro 2020 Group F match between the Germany and Hungary.
European football’s governing body said it received the plea from the mayor of the German city, Dieter Reiter, on Monday.
UEFA have turned down a request from the mayor of Munich for the city’s stadium to be lit up in rainbow colours for #GER‘s Group F match against #HUN.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 22, 2021
Reiter said he wanted to light up the stadium in the colours in protest against a new law in Hungary that bans the dissemination of content in schools which deems to promote homosexuality and gender change.
Because of that, UEFA said it could not grant the request and proposed alternative dates for the stadium to be lit up in rainbow colours.
A statement from European football’s governing body read: “UEFA has yesterday received a request from the mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, on behalf of the city council, to have the arena in Munich illuminated in rainbow colours at the upcoming UEFA EURO 2020 group stage match between Germany and Hungary.
“In this letter, the mayor outlines the reasoning behind this request to be a political decision which has been taken by the Hungarian parliament.
“UEFA understands that the intention is also to send a message to promote diversity and inclusion – a cause, which UEFA has been supporting for many years having joined forces with European clubs, national teams and their players, launching campaigns and plenty of activities all over Europe to promote the ethos that football should be open to everyone and consequently UEFA has proposed alternative dates for the illumination which align better with existing events.
“UEFA is determined to play its part in positive change and believes that discrimination can only be fought in close collaboration with others.
“As European football’s governing body, UEFA recognises it has an obligation to unite and coordinate the efforts of fans and institutions across Europe – because it is everybody’s responsibility to rid discrimination from the game.
“Very recently, in the build up towards the UEFA EURO 2020 tournament, UEFA has kicked off a new campaign called ‘Sign for an Equal Game’ encouraging fans, players, clubs, national associations and other football stakeholders to join the fight against discrimination. Sign for an Equal Game forms the latest instalment of the Equal Game campaign, which has run for the past four seasons and which aims to create positive social impact under UEFA’s overarching value of Respect. Its main purpose is to make people aware that football is for everyone, no matter who they are, where they are from and how they play.
“Racism, homophobia, sexism, and all forms of discrimination are a stain on our societies – and represent one of the biggest problems faced by the game today. Discriminatory behaviour has marred both matches themselves and, outside the stadiums, the online discourse around the sport we love.
“However UEFA, through its statutes, is a politically and religiously neutral organisation. Given the political context of this specific request – a message aiming at a decision taken by the Hungarian national parliament – UEFA must decline this request.
“UEFA has nevertheless proposed to the city of Munich to illuminate the stadium with the rainbow colours on either 28 June – the Christopher Street Liberation Day – or between 3 and 9 July which is the Christopher Street Day week in Munich.”
Hungary punished for fans racism in Euro qualifiers; now with that weirdly full stadium, homophobic banner in the week, today fans marching against taking the knee; all feels quite disturbing. pic.twitter.com/jGa6NF7uYo
— David Conn (@david_conn) June 19, 2021
The Allianz Arena, which is Bayern Munich’s home, is configured to allow the entire external area and roofing to be lit up in various colours as we’ve previously seen.
The decision comes after UEFA also launched, then backlash caused them to drop an investigation into Manuel Neuer’s wearing of a rainbow-coloured armband in Germany’s Euro 2020 matches against France and Portugal.
The Bayern ‘keeper had been wearing the armband, which is a symbol of solidarity with the LGBT+ community, during Pride Month in June.
UEFA was understood to be looking into whether the armband had breached its rules regarding on-field political statements, however on Sunday the DFB confirmed the investigation had been stopped.
Meanwhile, European football’s governing body are also investigating potential shocking discriminatory incidents that occurred during Hungary’s first two matches of the tournament at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
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Fans were outraged at UEFA after turning down the stadium request for the Euros match between Germany and Hungary…
@genwilliams: LIGHT IT UP. Light it up, pay the damn fine, show up the hypocrisy, act in solidarity with those victimised for being who they are.
@garethjonb: Disgrace from @UEFA – time to get with the times. Do it anyway @FCBayernEN
@dsima27: Railing against progressive statements and forcing a team who’s player nearly died to finish their game on the same day or face a 3-0 forfeit. It’s a good look for UEFA.
@SeanMc83_: Remember a few months ago when people thought UEFA were the good guys
@DamoW95: They should do it anyway
@Dan41274852: Can’t @FCBayern just rainbow the light anyway. LGBTQIA+ rights aren’t politics, they are human rights.
@DT_1978: Do it anyway. If they have no issue with taking the knee or standing up to racism they should have no issue with pride?
@Parsons85Owen: Here we go again… apparently homophobia is now political as well as racism. Sod Uefa they should just do it anyway
@JustMark33: Because being gay is apparently political now… UEFA really are a set of twats aren’t they
@Leobarlow48:
UEFA — Don’t move the bottles of coke during interview
Germany— can we do something positive and light up the stadium
UEFA — No (as we get no financial gain from this)
@MarcMoucheboeuf: That’s even a better reason to do it now
@Marcsharp821: Just light it up anyway. Most UEFA will do is give them a fine.
@KyleBarringto13: This is why #UEFA will never gain any respect from fans, when a club or country wants to do something so simple and they reject it. #AllianzArena
@adwonnacott: @UEFA Massive own goal – Great way to show solidarity with homophobes and demonstrate that your ‘values’ around equality represent nothing more than virtue-signalling bullshit. What next? Sponsorship from the KuKluxKlan?
Fans continued to be outraged at UEFA after turning down the stadium request…
@Waynelittlewood: Just do it and wear rainbow laces as well.
@ajsfounded71: Just do it, what are UEFA going to do. Stop the match? 🤷 they couldn’t even go through with their punishment stance on the ESL breakaway scab clubs
@Fraser83Stuart: Why not just do it anyway and accept the same fine as racial abusers normally get…£20 and a packet of Panini Stickers
@SimonMoccia99: Do it anyway. It’s pride month too
@Ashdown_Ranger: Great idea Deutschland – just do it anyway! UEFA – shame on you (but absolutely no surprise).
@JosephBecause3: Doing that against Hungary’s homophobic government would be such a W for UEFA except they’re allergic to Ws
@Ayemucker: Surely they can have it whatever colour they want lol
Lots of LGBTQ+ people around the world would love to get on with football but they can’t due to persecution for being themselves
— Sam Smith (@bantammad1995) June 22, 2021
Unless it suits them eh?? https://t.co/S4WaqWdqQ1 pic.twitter.com/oQXiq3sD05
— Taylor Payne (@TaylorandPayne) June 22, 2021
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