Rainbow row escalates at Euros
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UEFA and Hungary came under a hail of criticism yesterday over Budapest鈥檚 anti-LGBTQ law after the football body鈥檚 refusal to light a German Euro 2020 stadium in rainbow colors, as Germany vowed to stage a defiant display of colors elsewhere.
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen slammed as a disgrace the law passed by Viktor Orban鈥檚 government banning the 鈥減romotion鈥 of homosexuality to minors, while Germany鈥檚 foreign minister called UEFA鈥檚 decision the 鈥渨rong signal.鈥
With Germany playing Hungary later yesterday at the Allianz Arena in Munich, city authorities had planned to light the stadium up in rainbow colors to 鈥渟end a visible sign of solidarity鈥 with Hungary鈥檚 LGBTQ community.
With criticism building, UEFA defended its decision but added the rainbow to its logo. In a statement, European football鈥檚 governing body said it 鈥渋s proud to wear the colors of the rainbow,鈥 a symbol for the LGBTQ community, but stood by its decision by saying the city of Munich鈥檚 request to illuminate the stadium was 鈥減olitical.鈥
Budapest praised UEFA for taking a stance against 鈥減rovocation鈥, with stadia across the country preparing to light up in national colors in a tit-for-tat display during the Germany-Hungary match.
In Germany meanwhile, businesses and individuals made a show of their opposition to UEFA and Hungary鈥檚 anti-LGBTQ stance, decking themselves in rainbow colors while many stadia were planning rainbow light displays.
Fifteen of the EU鈥檚 member states have signed up to voice their 鈥済rave concern鈥 at the LGBTQ law that Budapest argues will protect children.
鈥淭his bill clearly discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation. And it goes against all the values, the fundamental values of the European Union,鈥 von der Leyen told a media conference in Brussels.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, meanwhile, criticized UEFA鈥檚 refusal to allow Munich to make a stand over the issue. 鈥淚t鈥檚 true, the football pitch is not about politics. It鈥檚 about people, about fairness, about tolerance. That鈥檚 why @UEFA is sending the wrong signal.鈥
In France, a senior official said the presidency 鈥渄eeply regrets鈥 the decision, adding that although UEFA is 鈥渞eligiously neutral and apolitical,鈥 it 鈥渉as values鈥 and should show solidarity with Hungarians.
In Brussels, a top EU official said he can鈥檛 find 鈥渁ny reasonable excuse鈥 for UEFA鈥檚 decision.
鈥淵es, I find it very difficult to understand what UEFA is trying to do by going against this initiative of the Munich city council,鈥 European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas told a news conference yesterday. 鈥淔rankly, I do not find any reasonable excuse for that.鈥
Schinas said he was even more surprised by the decision since UEFA has previously supported campaigns for inclusion and against racism.
鈥淭hey supported all the good causes. And all of a sudden, they make an issue out of this,鈥 he noted.
Vowing defiance, Munich was planning to put up rainbow-colored flags at its town hall and illuminate a huge wind turbine close to the stadium, as well as the city鈥檚 291-meter Olympic Tower.
鈥淚 find it shameful that UEFA forbids us to send a sign for cosmopolitanism, tolerance, respect and solidarity with the people of the LGBT community,鈥 said Munich mayor Dieter Reiter.
Other stadiums across Germany were also planning rainbow light displays, including Berlin鈥檚 iconic Olympic Stadium, as well as Bundesliga stadiums in Cologne, Frankfurt and Wolfsburg.
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