Hungary's Foreign Minister believes lighting Munich's Allianz Arena in gay pride colours is mixing politics with sport.
Munich mayor Dietrich Reiter said on Sunday he will ask UEFA permission to light the stadium in rainbow colours for Germany's Euro 2020 group game with Hungary.
Mayor wants to protest Hungary's recent passing of a law prohibiting information considered to be "promoting homosexuality" being shared with citizens under the age of 18.
On top of that, UEFA is investigating after an anti-LGBTQ+ banner was displayed inside the Puskas Arena during Hungary's Group F game with Portugal.
European football's governing body is also looking into alleged racist abuse aimed at France players on Saturday at the same venue.
A cross-party motion from Munich city councillors stated, "The Bavarian state capital supports diversity, tolerance and genuine equality in sport and in society,
“On the occasion of the match between Germany and Hungary, the council wishes to send a visible message of solidarity to the LGBT community in Hungary, which is suffering under recent legislation passed by the Hungarian government.
UEFA have today shared with the DFB that they have stopped the review of the rainbow captain's armband worn by @Manuel_Neuer.
In a letter, the armband has been assessed as a team symbol for diversity and thus for a 'good cause.' #EURO2020 #GER pic.twitter.com/HFiAAQ6F5D— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) June 20, 2021
“This law represents a new nadir in the disenfranchisement of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people, the latest in a series of measures over the years which constitute a systematic restriction of the rule of law and basic freedoms in Hungary.”
According to Reuters, UEFA had not at time of writing received any request regarding the lights at the Allianz Arena.
On Sunday, UEFA hastily dropped an investigation into the wearing of a rainbow-coloured captains armband by Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Speaking in Luxembourg, Hungary's far-right Foreign Minister Peter Szijarto said, "I consider it very harmful and dangerous when anyone tries to mix politics and sports.
"There have been some attempts to do this in world history and those ended very badly."
He added, "Everyone knows what this is about, we in Hungary passed a law in order to protect Hungarian children and there is protest against this in Western Europe and they also try to express it by trying to bring politics into a sport event when that sport event has nothing to do with the national legislature.
“I think this does a lot of harm, experience from history shows that this is wrong, and I think the Germans know this, if anyone, they certainly know this very well. So, mixing sports and politics is wrong."
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