Before the European Championship, the first multinational tournament in the pandemic, the European Football Union (UEFA) published Corona rules of conduct for all fans who watch a game in the stadium. The list of nine instructions, which can also be found on the association's website, says, for example, that fans should keep a distance of at least 1.50 meters, wear a mask and not hug each other. But when the pictures from the Puskás Arena in Budapest could be seen on Saturday afternoon, where 55,000 people had gathered for the preliminary round match between Hungary and France, you had to look carefully to discover a mask. One thing you saw at first glance, however: There was no minimum distance.
If you believe what several photographers and reporters have reported from the arena, some fans have also broken rules that apply not only in the stadium and not only during a pandemic: They are said to have racially insulted players from France. On Saturday evening, the French newspaper L'Equipe reported that monkeys could be heard from a block with Hungarian fans when N'Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba, two black-skinned players, were on the ball. A reporter from the German press agency who was in the stadium reported that such noises were also heard when Kylian Mbappé touched the ball.
What does UEFA say about the allegations? She is currently thinking of moving the European Championship final from London to Budapest. In response to a FAZ request, she announced on Sunday that the UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector had been appointed to investigate possible discriminatory incidents in the Puskás Arena.