Opinion: Football Association Bans 'Greater Hungary' Banners

  • 27 Jan 2023 10:36 AM
  • BudaPost
Opinion: Football Association Bans 'Greater Hungary' Banners
A pro-government commentator is outraged by the decision and calls it an expression of sheer cowardice.

In Magyar Nemzet, Tamás Pilhál maintains that the map of pre-First-World-War Greater Hungary simply expresses historical consciousness and solidarity with ethnic Hungarians living in neighbouring countries.

He dismisses the argument that UEFA, the European Football Federation may interpret such banners as a political provocation and condemn Hungary to play home matches ‘behind closed doors’.

Such banners, Pilhál writes, have been regularly seen in football stadiums in the past without triggering punishments. Meanwhile, he suggests, Hungary has been unjustly sanctioned by UEFA in the past, therefore ‘they can punish us whenever they want to.’

Pilhál also recalls the uproar last November, when Prime Minister Orbán wore a scarf featuring the map of Greater Hungary when he attended a Hungary-Greece match in Budapest, but praises the sense of humour of Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger who, in response, gave him a Slovak fan’s scarf at a subsequent Visegrad-4 summit.

 (The Hungarian Football Association has only banned banners and flags with the map of Greater Hungary from international games, not scarves.)

This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or

the publisher.

Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible

publication online.

Click here to Share Your Story

  • How does this content make you feel?

XpatLoop Media Partner

BudaPost

Launched in May 2011 to provide a balanced picture of matters covered in Hungary’s national press. Their aim is to make it easier for English-speakers to understand where this country is now and where it’s heading according to the full spectrum of media opinions.