Hungary have been ordered to play their next three matches behind closed doors, with one match suspended for two years, for racist abuse from supporters and homophobic banners in the stands during their Euro 2020 group stage matches
Sunday 11 July 2021 19:57, UK
Hungary have been ordered to play their next three UEFA competition matches behind closed doors following racist abuse from supporters and homophobic banners in the stands during their Euro 2020 group stage matches.
One match has been suspended for two years, with UEFA also fining the Hungarian Football Federation €100,000 (£85,500) and ordering them to display a banner with the governing body's "#EqualGame" logo on it.
The decision does not apply to European qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, which take place under FIFA's jurisdiction.
A homophobic banner was seen in the stands during Hungary's defeat to Portugal in their opening game at Euro 2020 while monkey chants were also heard during Hungary's draw with France.
Both of those games were played at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Incidents of homophobic chanting were also alleged to have occurred during Hungary's final group game against Germany in Munich.
UEFA declined a request to illuminate Munich's Allianz Arena in rainbow colours for the match against Germany on the grounds of the gesture having political context.
European football's governing body said it received the request from the mayor of the German city, Dieter Reiter.
UEFA said that the mayor's reason for the request was a response to legislation passed in Hungary banning gay people from appearing in school educational materials or programmes for under-18s.
On that basis, UEFA said it could not grant the request and proposed alternative dates for the stadium to be lit up in rainbow colours.
Reiter later called the ruling "shameful".
