UEFA have rejected a request to have the Allianz Arena lit up in rainbow colours during Germany’s Euro 2020 clash against Hungary on Wednesday.
Bayern Munich’s home stadium will play host to Die Mannschaft’s final Group F outing as they look to secure their passage through to the knockout rounds of this summer’s competition.
Tuesday’s match had been seen as the perfect opportunity to make a statement of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community following the controversial news that Hungary has banned LGBTQ+ content in schools or on kids’ television.
However, UEFA have denied the request, claiming they cannot interfere in political matters and have instead encouraged them to show their support on days when the Allianz Arena isn’t hosting Euro 2020 matches.
“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,” the statement read (via Sky Sports). “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 the request.
“UEFA has nevertheless proposed to the city of Munich to illuminate the stadium with rainbow colours on either 28 June – the Christopher Street Liberation Day – or between 3 and 9 July which is the Cristopher Street Day week in Munich.”
The news comes just days after UEFA launched an investigation into Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer wearing a rainbow coloured captain’s armband.
The Bayern man has worn said armband for every one of Germany’s outings during June as a show of support during Pride Month, with UEFA subsequently looking into whether the armband breached their rules regarding on-field political statements, though it’s since been confirmed they’ve dropped the investigation.
