Football v Homophobia (FvH) commends UEFA for its strong action in regards to the recent display of a homophobic banner by a small group of Bayern Münich fans during the club’s Champions League game against Arsenal.
Following the incident, UEFA has ordered the section of Bayern Münich’s stadium where the banner was displayed to be closed during the second half of their quarter-final against Manchester United. Additionally, the club has been fined €10,000 for “discriminatory behavior.”
“We believe that this shows a consistency in approach by UEFA in dealing with all forms of discrimination,” said Football v Homophobia campaign Co-Director Lou Englefield, adding that “UEFA is sending a strong message that no form of discrimination will be tolerated in European football and that LGBT fans and players deserve to enjoy the game free from prejudice.”
Football v Homophobia also commends the anti-discrimination work done by the club’s LGBT fans’ group, Queerpass Bayern, who have been working for years towards ensuring that this sort of activity is seen as unacceptable by the majority of Bayern fans.
Football v Homophobia is an international initiative opposing homophobia in football. During its most recent month of action, a majority of professional clubs from England and Wales backed the campaign, including 15 of 20 Premier League clubs.