Anti-discrimination group Fare sent report to UEFA highlighting homophobic banner in stands during Hungary's loss to Portugal; monkey chants were heard during hosts' draw with France in Budapest on Saturday; Chelsea's Pernille Harder, an #EqualGame ambassador, tweets at UEFA urging action
Friday 25 June 2021 11:53, UK
UEFA has confirmed it is investigating potential discriminatory incidents that occurred during Hungary's first two Euro 2020 games at the Puskas Arena.
Anti-discriminatory group Fare sent a report highlighting a homophobic banner in the stands during the defeat to Portugal in Budapest on Tuesday.
Monkey chants were also heard during Hungary's draw with France on Saturday, with UEFA saying an ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to conduct an investigation.
A UEFA statement read: "In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, an UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding potential discriminatory incidents which occurred in the Puskás Aréna, Budapest, during the 2020 European Championship group stage matches between the national teams of Hungary and Portugal on 15 June 2021 and between the national teams of Hungary and France played on 19 June 2021."
Chelsea and Denmark's Pernille Harder has urged UEFA to reconsider moving more Euro 2020 matches to Budapest after the Hungarian parliament passed new anti-LGBT+ legislation this week.
"Devastated to see that the Hungarian parliament passed new anti LGBT+ legislation this week, criminalising education and advertising of LGBT content to young people," she tweeted.
"We, the LGBT+ community, are people. We are human beings. We deserve the right to be treated like everyone else
"My thoughts are with the people of Hungary but especially the various LGBT communities in the country.
"The football world has another opportunity to step up. I hope that UEFA will take this seriously and reconsider moving more Euros games to Budapest. Equal game?"
Harder is one of six professional players helping to promote UEFA's #EqualGame campaign as ambassadors.
Budapest's Puskas Arena is the only Euro 2020 host venue to allow full crowds for games.
Hungary currently sit bottom of Group F with one point from two games, following up an opening 3-0 defeat to Portugal with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against world champions France on Saturday.
A second-half equaliser from Antoine Griezmann cancelled out Attila Fiola's opener on the stroke of half-time.
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