UEFA are supposed to be the talk of the town during the European Championships, but this time around it is for all the wrong reasons.
For all that goes on behind the scenes, one thing you cannot argue with is UEFA’s ability to put on a good tournament, whether it’s the Euros, the Champions League or Europa League.
All three are huge successes, the crown jewels of what UEFA does for football, but as we approach the end of the group stages at Euro 2020, it’s clear they are not doing enough off the pitch.
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Ahead of Germany’s group stage clash with Hungary, it was requested that the Allianz Arena be lit up in rainbow colours in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
The motive behind that was the Hungarian government’s decision to make the “display and promotion of homosexuality” among under-18s illegal, something that has been widely condemned among EU and other countries.
But UEFA have vetoed that request, saying in a statement that it is ‘politically and religiously neutral’ and that because the message is aimed at a ‘decision taken by the Hungary national government’ they ‘must decline’ the request.
That too has been widely condemned, and it puts UEFA in an awkward position due to some historical tweets where they claim to back diversity, specifically in relation to LGBTQ+ communities.
Unfortunately Jack, there are still lots of people, and many within the LGBTQ community, who don’t feel included or welcome within football. We think it’s important to remind them that they absolutely are. This is everyone’s game.
— UEFA (@UEFA) August 3, 2019
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Proud that #EURO2020 will be a tournament for everyone ? #EqualGame https://t.co/zzNv7CbbX9
— UEFA (@UEFA) August 3, 2019
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Replying to one fan on Twitter in 2019, UEFA’s account wrote: “Unfortunately Jack, there are still lots of people, and many within the LGBTQ community, who don’t feel included or welcome within football. We think it’s important to remind them that they absolutely are. This is everyone’s game.”
Another tweet read: “Proud that #EURO2020 will be a tournament for everyone #EqualGame” along with a rainbow emoji.
Those tweets now look to empty words with UEFA failing to stand up for the same community they claimed to be representing in 2019, and when it needs them most, particularly in Hungary where people’s rights are being restricted.
Why? There are many claims that too is due to ‘political’ reasons, but what we know for sure, is that UEFA have not backed up those words from their tweets in 2019 and that the trust they appeared to build with the LGBTQ+ community may just have been shattered over their failure to do so.