The European Football Union rejected a request from the Mayor of Munich Dieter Reiter (SPD) on Tuesday. According to its statutes, UEFA is “a politically and religiously neutral organization.
Given the political context of this particular request – a message aimed at a decision by the Hungarian Parliament – UEFA has to reject this request, “said the governing body.
The arena will therefore shine in the colors of UEFA and the participating nations as planned. The umbrella organization suggested that the city of Munich illuminate the stadium with rainbow colors either on June 28th – Christopher Street Liberation Day – or between July 3rd and 9th, Christopher Street Day week in Munich.
Because of the UEFA cancellation, at least other German stadium operators want to set an example. The soccer arenas in Frankfurt am Main and Cologne should shine brightly on Wednesday during the European Championship match between the German team and Hungary.
“If Munich is not allowed on Wednesday, then the other stadiums in the country have to show their colors. Now, colleagues in the league,” tweeted Eintracht Frankfurt’s board spokesman Axel Hellmann on Tuesday night. The club boss announced: “Deutsche Bank Park will switch on the rainbow for the game against Hungary. The Waldstadion will remain colorful.” Something similar is planned for the Cologne Bundesliga stadium, as a spokesman confirmed.
The background to the protest is a law that restricts the information rights of young people with regard to homosexuality and transsexuality and which was only approved by the Hungarian parliament last Tuesday. The law is a particular concern of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The demand for a clear signal at the European Football Championship in Germany had become correspondingly loud.
Munich’s Lord Mayor Reiter wrote a letter to UEFA and the German Football Association in favor of a special permit in order to send “a widely visible signal for our common understanding of values”. This initiative was not well received in Hungary. “For the left-wing Munich city tour we again have the message: politics has no place on the football field. Neither in brown, red, nor rainbow-colored packaging,” wrote the Budapest-based government daily “Magyar Nemzet” on Tuesday.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
