The German Football Association (DFB) has said UEFA (Union of European Football Association) will not publish the rainbow-coloured armband of German skipper Manuel Neuer during Euro 2020 in solidarity with gay pride this month. The German Football Association (DFB) said it has received a letter from the European football’s governing body stating that a review of the matter has been paused.
The DFB (Dutch Football Board) said, “The armband has been assessed as a team symbol for diversity and thus for a good cause.” Generally, the captains of each team at the European Championship are obliged to wear a standard armband issued by UEFA. Former Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, who came out as gay after retiring in 2013 and is now the head of sport at VfB Stuttgart, was not happy that UEFA wasn’t looking into the armband matter.
DFB spokesman Jens Grittner had said that Neuer would not have stopped wearing the rainbow armband even if UEFA opted to punish the Germans. He said, “June is also the month of Pride in sports to promote more diversity.”
Manuel Neuer has been wearing the rainbow armband since a friendly against Latvia on June 7 as a sign and clear commitment of the whole team for diversity, openness, tolerance and against hate and exclusion. The message was ‘we are colourful.’