Subtle statement against UEFA: A smart protest from the “colorful” Hummels


Subtle statement against UEFA
A smart protest from the “colorful” Hummels

By Tobias Nordmann

The German national team is fighting for a place in the last sixteen of the European Championship in the last group game in the evening against Hungary. Manuel Neuer will wear the rainbow armband again, but the stadium will not shine brightly. Because of UEFA. Mats Hummels shows how he thinks it is.

Mats Hummels came in a colorful T-shirt. That’s unusual. Not necessarily for the BVB defender. He has already shown several times that he has the courage to go for fancy fashion. No, the colorful shirt he wore at the media round on Tuesday was unusual for a different reason: the players usually appear there in sporty uniforms. At the DFB it is usually white, gray or black. Sometimes green. Rarely red. But never yellow or blue.

Now the t-shirt was colored. The imprint: “Love unites”. But it wasn’t a rainbow, that would have caused trouble. UEFA, which on Tuesday banned the city of Munich from illuminating the stadium as a rainbow during the national team’s European Championship match against Hungary, does not like making political statements. Now one can discuss whether a symbol for diversity and tolerance as well as against hatred and exclusion is really so political that this debate had to develop into a continental issue. Unfortunately, the answer is: yes, it is that sign. Because it should be set against Hungary.

Rainbow is everywhere: this is a success

Also against the country in which Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is said to have canceled his trip to the game in Munich, is pursuing homophobic policies. Just now underpinned by a law that is supposed to make access to information about homosexuality more difficult for children and young people, making it (access) almost impossible. Was that what Hummels intended? Sure right? You can’t really imagine the opposite, given the discussions and the anger at UEFA. So, Mr. Hummels? No answer, not even when asked. Hummels, he’s a clever guy. That the DFB, usually so vigilant when it comes to statements, tolerated the shirt (maybe even thought it was good?), Also an indication of intent.

“I am an absolute friend when you send messages of this kind into the world,” said Hummels. He is “a friend of such gestures”. He emphasized that he would have been pleased about the sign. He said it so unsuspiciously that he will not face an investigation now. Although one is sometimes really surprised about the nonsense that UEFA sends its lawyers to investigate. The rainbow armband from Captain Manuel Neuer is the keyword. Incidentally, he will again appear with the colorful ribbon. UEFA allowed that. Great!

Hummels called it a “success” that the DFB selection and the city of Munich raised the issue at all – also against the background of Carl Nassib’s first coming-out in the NFL football league. “This is a thing that is long overdue and quite normal that it also affects the sports section. Even small signs are a real step in the right direction,” he said.

It’s not supposed to be like 2018

At the same time, national coach Joachim Löw, who also took part in the media round, made it clear that for him “despite all the importance of symbols” it is even more important that the values ​​for diversity, free sexual orientation and human dignity represented by the rainbow flag “are also lived” . This is the case in the DFB team, emphasized Löw. The game against Hungary could be for him (from 9 p.m. in the live ticker at ntv.de) be a very special one, by the way. Like any other that’s yet to come. As of today, every game could be the last in his 17 years as coach of the DFB. Two as co-workers of Jürgen Klinsmann, the remaining 15 as boss.

If the DFB-Elf loses to Hungary and Portugal gets at least one point, it would be over. And in the most inglorious way. “I have a much more positive feeling than I did in 2018,” said Mats Hummels, comparing the World Cup debacle three years ago. It was over after the preliminary round. The disaster also had belated consequences for Hummels. A little later, Löw deleted him from the squad, as did Thomas Müller. Both are back now, but Müller has to tremble about his commitment against the Hungarians. The German doctors try everything. The “Bild” writes: in vain.

And what happens to Hummels when Löw’s time is over? The world championship in Qatar in 2022 and the home European championship in 2024 would “definitely” appeal to him, said the defender of “Sport Bild”. Qatar, by the way, also a good topic and a good place for “colorful” protests …

.