‘This is a blatant provocation and an expression of cultural imperialism,’ said András Schiffer, Hungarian lawyer and former co-president of the Politics Can Be Different (LMP) party, on public television, commenting on some European teams engaging in pro-LGBTQ stunts at the FIFA World Cup.

What seven European countries have been doing at the Football World Cup in Qatar in connection with the rainbow-coloured armbands is ‘completely unacceptable’, said András Schiffer on public M5’s programme Ez itt a kérdés (That Is the Question). In addition, the lawyer emphasized that these countries had also cynically claimed that none of their actions were a form of political expression. ‘So, what in tarnation were they?’ asked Schiffer, who explained that the issue of human rights, ever since there has been politics, is considered the most eminent political issue.

‘Now they say that their rainbow-buffoonery is not politics—so what is it?,’ asked the former Member of Parliament.

Besides, he reminded, the framework accepted by footballers and the national football associations delegating them excludes the possibility of the players articulating political opinions in the stadium during international matches.

Schiffer also stressed that FIFA—and rightly so—takes action against homophobic slurs and acts, just as it does not allow players to be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation. ‘Considering that, why on earth demonstrate?

This is a blatant provocation and an expression of cultural imperialism,’ he added.

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