Germany’s game against Hungary to be played in rainbow-colored stadium

The Euro 2020 game between Germany and Hungary could be played in a stadium lit with rainbow-colored lights.

That’s after a motion was put forward by the Munich city council to change the lighting pattern on the outside of the Allianz Arena in the wake of an anti-LGBTQ law passed by Hungary’s parliament earlier this month.

The legislation, which was passed on June 15, bans the dissemination of content in schools deemed to promote homosexuality and gender change. It has been met with strong criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties.

“[Munich] is committed to diversity, tolerance and real equality in sport and throughout society,” reads a cross-party proposal put forward by the city council.

“On the occasion of the European Football Championship match between Germany and Hungary, the state capital of Munich wants to give an important and visible sign of solidarity towards the LGBTI Community in Hungary, those who suffer under the current tightened homophobic and transphobic Hungarian government legislation.

“The state capital of Munich, as the venue for Euro 2020, has already agreed to fly rainbow flags on the town hall to make a clear statement on the day of the game.”

According to CNN affiliate ZDF, Munich mayor Dieter Reiter is working with UEFA, European football’s governing body, to obtain permission for the Allianz Arena to be lit up with rainbow colors for Wednesday’s game.

The rainbow flag has become a universal symbol of hope for LGBTQ people around the world and is commonly adopted by the football community as a show of solidarity.

The calls to light up the Allianz Arena ahead of Wednesday’s game, which will be both sides’ last in the Euro 2020 group stages, comes after UEFA dropped an investigation into a rainbow captain’s armband worn by German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at the tournament.

“UEFA have today shared with the DFB that they have stopped the review of the rainbow captain’s armband worn by Manuel Neuer,” said a tweet from the DFB, German football’s governing body, on Sunday.

“In a letter, the armband has been assessed as a team symbol for diversity and thus for a ‘good cause.'”

Neuer wore the armband during Germany’s games against France and Portugal last week. He has not commented publicly on the UEFA investigation.

“UEFA looked into the armband worn by the player in question and, considering that it was promoting a good cause, i.e. diversity, the team will not face disciplinary proceedings,” a UEFA spokesperson told CNN.

Separately, UEFA also announced on Sunday that it has launched an investigation regarding “potential discriminatory incidents” at Euro 2020 games in Budapest, Hungary.

According to UEFA, the incidents occurred during Hungary’s games against Portugal on June 15 and France on June 19, both of which were played in front of capacity crowds at the Puskas Arena.

Images on social media showed a banner with “Anti-LMBTQ” written on it — the Hungarian abbreviation of LGBTQ — during Hungary’s opening game of the tournament against Portugal.

An inspector has been appointed to oversee the disciplinary investigation.

Having lost its opening game against Portugal 3-0, Hungary earned its first point of Euro 2020 with a 1-1 draw against France on Sunday.

Source: CNN