Many UEFA sponsors weighed in on the Rainbowgate controversy by deploying the LGBTQ community’s rainbow colours on luminous panels at Euro 2020 matches after the European football body refused a request by the city of Munich to do so on Wednesday.
In Amsterdam, for the Wales-Denmark match, and in London, for the Italy-Austria game, major partners of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) lit up their publicity messages with rainbow colours and slogans such as “Cheers to all fans.”
The sponsors included Volkswagen, Heineken, the TikTok social media network and the Booking hotel reservation platform.
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UEFA sparked a controversy last week went it turned down the Munich authorities’ request to light up the Allianz-Arena for the Germany-Hungary match in colours symbolising tolerance and the LGBTQ community in protest against a Hungarian law seen as homophobic.
UEFA invoked political neutrality to justify its refusal, which unleashed a barrage of criticism against the continental football governing body throughout Europe.
While it defended its decision, UEFA nevertheless adorned its logo on Twitter with a rainbow and reasserted its “firm commitment” against homophobia.
The Brussels Times
