Hungary’s latest enemy – UEFA the European soccer’s governing body

On July 9 the UEFA Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body issued a statement related to events on the EURO 2020 group matches. Hungarian fans exhibited “discriminatory behavior” and article 14(2) of the Disciplinary Regulations was violated.

The Hungarian Soccer Federation was ordered to play its next three matches as a host association behind closed doors and was also fined €100,000.  The Hungarians must display a banner with the wording “#EqualGame”, with the UEFA logo on it.

List of violations:

  1. At the Portugal game the Hungarian Ultras displayed an “ANTI-LMBTQ” sign and chanted of “Cristiano homosexual.”
  2. Against France they ridiculed the Black Lives Matter movement with a molino and greeted the French guest players with a “bonjour French homos” chant.
  3. At the game against Germany in Munich they displayed an “LGBT Nein, Danke” sign while chanting during the anthem “Deutschland, Deutschland homosexual.”

You would expect that Hungarian government and sport leaders would speak up vigorously against the racist, anti-Semitic and homophobe tendencies of the well-organized soccer fan-clubs, the so-called “Ultras.”   Not at all.

Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjártó attacked the UEFA.  “The committee that makes a decision like that is a pitiful and cowardly body. They should be ashamed of themselves,” wrote on his Facebook page.  Mr. Gyula Budai, Fidesz MP went one step further, he claimed that UEFA’s leadership is not suited to lead the organization

UEFA president is Aleksander Čeferin a Slovenian lawyer and a good friend of Budapest.  Orbán’s attack dogs never mention Ceferin’s name.

Orbán, Ceferin and Csányi

The Hungarian Soccer Federation is run by a Hungarian oligarch Mr. Sándor Csányi, who is close to the Orbán-regime.   Csányi is an opaque, “godfatherish” figure.  He has run Hungary’s largest OTP Bank for the last 30 years with an iron fist, and he is a member of UEFA’s Executive Committee.

Csányi knows well the close ties between Orbán’s circles and the far-right Hungarian soccer mobs, yet the Hungarian billionaire did not protest the Orbán government’s attacks against his own organization.  He is currently Vice-President of UEFA.

Orbán and Csányi at a soccer game

I expected that he would immediately condemn Foreign Minister Szijjártó and MP Budai for their unprecedented comments.  But that is impossible in Hungary’s mafia world, the powerful mix of far-right propaganda, economic interests, soccer politics and out-of-control fan-clubs, the “Ultras.”

György Lázár

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