UEFA declines to illuminate Allianz Arena in rainbow colours for Euro 2020 game

 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has declined Munich city council’s application to have its stadium illuminated in rainbow colours for Germany’s final European Championship group game against Hungary on Wednesday. UEFA quashed Munich council's plea after Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Tuesday alleged that a disinformation campaign was being used to rally international criticism of a recent law passed in Hungary that has been widely seen as targeting LGBT people.

UEFA declines Munich City Council's plea to illuminate stadium in rainbow colours

Declining request, UEFA said in a statement that it understands intention behind proposal but 'must decline this request' because of its political context — 'a mess aiming at a decision taken by Hungarian national parliament.' UEFA said it believes “that discrimination can only be fought in close collaboration with ors” and it proposed that Munich illuminates stadium with rainbow colours on June 28 for Christopher Street Day or between July 3-9 for Christopher Street Day week in city. body said se dates 'align better with existing events.'

Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter’s application on behalf of council made clear it wanted to protest a law passed by Hungarian lawmakers last week that prohibits sharing with mirs any content portraying homosexuality or sex reassignment. law was deunced as anti-LGBT discrimination by human rights groups.

Hungary's controversial law on LGBT

law prevents children under of 18 from seeking council and guidance regarding ir sexual orientation. Hungary’s National Assembly approved bill against sharing LGBT content with mirs in a 157-1 vote last week, when one independent lawmaker voted against it and all or opposition parties boycotted voting session in protest.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó blasted German plan on Monday. “In Hungary we have passed a law to protect Hungarian children, and w in Western Europe y are griping about it,” Szijjártó said in Luxembourg. “y want to express this by including politics in a sporting event, which has thing to do with passing of national laws.”

“This legislation represents a new mark in invisibility and disenfranchisement of lesbians, gays, bisexual, trans and intersex people (LGBTI) and adds to systematic restriction of rule of law and fundamental freedoms that have been practiced for years in Hungary,” Munich council said in its application, which had cross-party support.

Germany vs Hungary

Germany are set to play Hungary at Allianz Arena on Wednesday in group st of UEFA Euro 2020. Germany come into this game on back of a 4-2 win over Fernando Santos' Portugal on Saturday. First-half own goals from Manchester City centre-back Ruben Dias and Borussia Dortmund left-back Raphael Guerreiro and second-half goals from Chelsea forward Kai Havertz and Atalanta left-back Robin Gosens sealed deal for Joachim Low's Germany.

(Im Credits: @UEFA/Twitter/AP)