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By George Ramsay and Aleks Klosok, CNN
UEFA, the governing body of European football, found itself on the defensive against diversity ahead of the Euro 2020 game between Germany and Hungary on Wednesday.
It all started with a proposal from Munich city council to light up the Allianz Arena in rainbow colors for the game – a response to an anti-LGBTQ law passed by the Hungarian parliament last week.
UEFA declined the request, citing its “political background”. But opposition to the move has continued to grow over the past 24 hours.
“It’s true, the football field has nothing to do with politics. It’s about people, fairness, tolerance, ”German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted on Wednesday.
“This is why UEFA is sending the wrong signal. But luckily, you can still show your colors today – in the stadium and outside #loveislove. “
Around 20,000 rainbow-colored flags will be handed out at the Allianz Arena ahead of the match, while calls have also been made on social media for spectators to dress in clothes in the colors of the match. ‘Rainbow.
Football clubs across Germany have also said they will light up their pitches in rainbow colors during the match. The exterior of Munich’s town hall, meanwhile, was decorated with rainbow flags.
On Twitter, French striker Antoine Griezmann posted a photo of the Allianz Arena with its rainbow lights on, and German companies – such as BMW, Siemens and Sparkasse – changed their logos to rainbow colors. -sky.
The rainbow flag has become a universal symbol of hope for LGBTQ people around the world and is widely adopted by members of the football community and beyond as a manifestation of solidarity.
The response to the decision not to light up the Allianz Arena in rainbow colors prompted UEFA to defend its position, while incorporating the colors of the rainbow in its logos on social networks.
“Some people have interpreted UEFA’s decision to reject the city of Munich’s request to light up the Munich stadium in rainbow colors for a Euro 2020 match as ‘political'” , UEFA said in a statement Wednesday.
“On the contrary, the request itself was political, linked to the presence of the Hungarian football team in the stadium for tonight’s game against Germany.
“For UEFA, the rainbow is not a political symbol, but a sign of our firm commitment to a more diverse and inclusive society. #Equalgame # Euro2020. “
As for Hungary, its Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that “German politicians” should accept the decision not to light up the stadium.
“It is not the state’s job to decide whether to paint the Munich stadium, or any other stadium, in the colors of the rainbow,” he told the German news agency DPA.
Orban added: “While homosexuals were persecuted in Hungary under Communist rule, today the state not only guarantees their freedoms, but also actively protects their rights.
Hungary’s new legislation, which was passed last week, bans the dissemination of content in schools deemed to promote homosexuality and gender change. He has been widely criticized by human rights groups and opposition parties.
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