Europe

UEFA declines request to allow rainbow lights at Munich stadium

by Olafimihan Oshin - 06/22/21 12:22 PM ET

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) declined a request from Munich’s mayor to allow the display of rainbow lights at the city’s stadium, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

In a statement, UEFA said they understood why Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter was making the request but that it was denying it because of the “political context.”

Germany is set to play Hungary in the UEFA European Championship tournament on Wednesday. Hungary’s government has approved anti-LGBTQ measures, including a new law that prohibits the sharing with minors of any content that portrays homosexuality or gender reassignment.

Reiter on Sunday said he was making the request to use the rainbow lights to protest Hungary’s law. He told the AP that UEFA’s decision is “shameful,” adding it was disappointing to see the German soccer federation not lend its support in the effort.

Reiter said he expects the city to raise rainbow flags over the city hall and have the Munich stadium’s wind turbine and the city’s Olympic Tower illuminated in rainbow colors, according to the AP.

UEFA previously said it had ended an investigation of German national team captain Manuel Neuer’s rainbow armband that he wore for the first two matches of the tournament.

Clubs from the German soccer league Bundesliga will have their venues lit up in support of the LGBTQ community during Wednesday games in response to UEFA’s decision, the AP noted.