Friday, November 1, 2024
HomeLGBT NewsEuro 2020 soccer stadium's LGBT rainbow plan rejected for being too 'political'...

Euro 2020 soccer stadium’s LGBT rainbow plan rejected for being too ‘political’ – NBC News

Plans to illuminate a soccer stadium with rainbow colors to show support for LGBT+ rights have been rejected by the game’s governing body in Europe for being too political.

Germany play Hungary at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Wednesday as part of the ongoing Euro 2020 tournament. and politicians in Germany had called for the rainbow colors to be shown to protest Hungary’s government after it passed laws that critics say undermine LGBT+ rights.

Munich’s mayor, Dieter Reiter, had called for rainbow colors “as a symbol of cosmopolitanism and tolerance” and “to send a signal that is visible from afar for our common understanding of values.”

But UEFA said Tuesday that it objected to the reasoning behind the request, which it said breached strict impartiality rules. The stadium has displayed rainbow colors around its outer walls on several previous occasions.

“UEFA, through its statutes, is a politically and religiously neutral organization,” it said in a statement. “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.”

Reiter on Tuesday called UEFA’s decision “shameful” and said that the city would drape city hall in the rainbow flags and light up the stadium’s wind turbine and the Munich Olympic tower.

“We will still send a clear sign of our solidarity and our respect for sexual equality to Hungary and the world,” he said in a statement.

In his letter to UEFA detailing the plan, he compared Hungary’s laws to Russia’s “homophobic and transphobic” legislation. He asked UEFA to “use its media coverage to make an emphatic and visible commitment to tolerance and equality.”

June 16, 202101:21

Hungary’s right-wing government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, passed a law last week banning the “display and promotion” of homosexuality and gender change among under-18s, in schools and in the media.

Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics

Orban has defended the legislation, writing on his website in English that it “does not conflict with any lofty ideals or European laws.”

“The new Hungarian law simply states clearly that only parents can decide on the sexual education of their children,” the statement posted on Thursday said.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó blasted Munich’s plan on Monday.

“In Hungary we have passed a law to protect Hungarian children, and now in Western Europe they are griping about it,” Szijjártó said while in Luxembourg, according to the Associated Press. “They want to express this by including politics in a sporting event, which has nothing to do with the passing of national laws.”

Germany’s minister for Europe called on Twitter on Tuesday for fans to bring rainbow flags to the game in a sign of solidarity.

In its statement, UEFA stressed its commitment to diversity and inclusion and suggested alternate dates for the stadium to be illuminated.

On Sunday, UEFA declined to sanction Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for wearing a rainbow-colored captain’s armband at the tournament.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular

Recent Comments

pacomonkey007 on
nickrod32 on
Kate on
Gabriel Jimenez on
Boris Dorofeev on
AlexanderCostan on
Gouki249 on
Michael Schaper on
Supertomiman on
Robert Johns on
heyayup on
J.N Turner on
Cassandra Sainvilus on
mistermiah21 on
AL T on
Stjepan Vončina on
Alesandros356 on
Μαριος Κοσκολος on
Kikoushinzen on
Chanti Allen on
askvir2 on
PR3DA7EUR on
mikkita88 on
Shanoriya Robinson on
hightune21 on
s0medudeonline on
Ryan Wright on
Imcia Rens on
Garchomp Pit on
Kai Laa on
king vapor on
king vapor on
barosan jupan on
camaflauge on
Omar Doleymi on
JawNas1 on
Ibraheem Mansour on
SuperAceone on
James Darwin on
toomuchdingding on
lanciauxrayz on
curioussebastian on
Iman Farahin on
Samhain entertainment on
longsweep1 on
SuperCaffeinelover on
Rin Lee on
Samhain entertainment on
banglawaz0 on
banglawaz0 on
Chope89 on
nikos sicks on
ForZaSLaN1905 on
Kieran Murphy on
Brian Sirovey on
Enrico Baratelli on
Kenn Zesky on
Synthiotics on
ROGAN on
DJVM95 on
Corie Jacobs on
久登 寺島 on
Jakob Vlietstra on
shook one on
shook one on
Zeracan on
jarjarbinx79 on
keefkeef chiefchief on
WolfgangSenske on
Pieceofshit19 on
numbstateofennui on
The Real Witches on
Tribble Booth on
Greg Blackman on
Emily Fravel on
Daniel Baker on
Ahimsa Porter Sumchai MD on
Eden Brown on
johnboysssss on
CeeJayDee94 on
TheGoodNews01 on
jpalberthoward9 on
lakecrab on
jpalberthoward9 on
lakecrab on
jpalberthoward9 on
jpalberthoward9 on
jpalberthoward9 on
liffeybeat on
Chad Premo on
Michael E. O'Donnell on
徹 田中 on
Izzat Zainal on
InfliiKted on
angelo leslie on
Regena Daunicht on
Eddie The Liar on
DrNepal on
DrNepal on
TheGrimriftstalker on
Tatts Thompson on
Frederico Miranda Brandão Alves on
Jerry Bender on
uncle mike on
Dluv021 on
杏 唯 on
blu jonce on
lakecrab on
justin gingell on
anand- jivano on
kree8r on
Antonio Amaral on
Issam Bensoltane on
David Klonowski on
joe man on
chris badtrekkie on
Iktisam shahriar on
Hilaire Dufresne on
timthepainter1 on
immrnoidall on
Merle McDane on
Royalhighlander on
J Edge on
Mike J on
Mike J on
EarthEats Moon on
equn on
Lozial on
Grey Umopepisdn on
Adski92 on
ninjia1O1 on
murkyslough18 on
Robert Rickner on
okaminess on
stkcarm5 on
Kim Kelly on
funkymcbean on
ojibajo on
mzwickedlette88 on
neotek79 on
1ofmeNlotsofU on
aeroldoth on
TheThorne13 on
QueenLucyThe2nd on
James Gambino on