Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 4:04 PM• Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk • Last update: 16:18

UEFA has banned the wearing of rainbow flags in the the Dutch fan zone and the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, during the eighth final between the Netherlands and the Czech Republic at the European Championship on Sunday. “The rules of UEFA apply in the fan zone and in the stadium, so they can determine that,” KNVB spokesperson Daan Schippers told the newspaper. NOS know. “But that does not mean that the KNVB supports this decision. We are pro rainbow flag and support the OneLove campaign.”

Fans of the Dutch national team took rainbow flags to Budapest in protest against a recently introduced anti-gay law in Hungary. The law specifically prohibits exposing young people up to the age of 18 to “content that would encourage homosexuality, gender identity deviation and gender reassignment.”

For example, the new law may prohibit the broadcasting of media productions such as films, television series, video clips and documentaries with LGBTI characters and other ways to pay attention to the LGBTI community. UEFA previously received much criticism when the association banned the Munich city council from lighting the Allianz Arena in the colors of the rainbow during Germany’s group match with Hungary.

Reported earlier on Sunday RTL News that some the Dutch fans in the fan zone in the center of Budapest were taken by security and had to hand in their rainbow flag. Tonight, Georginio Wijnaldum will wear a special OneLove captaincy. “We are proud of that,” says Schippers. “All KNVB directors are also wearing a pin from the OneLove campaign today.”

the Dutch fans who left for Hungary from Schiphol on Sunday were handed out rainbow flags and rainbow sweatbands at the airport. On it is the Hungarian text Aszerelem mindenkié, which means ‘love is for everyone’. The distribution campaign was an initiative of KRO-NCRV presenter Klaas van Kruistum, who hoped to convince the Dutch fans to speak out in Hungary for acceptance and equality.

Football zone keeps you informed about everything about EURO 2020

Curious about the current position, the competition program and much more European Championship news? Click here!