On Tuesday, Hungary’s parliament passed a law that bans the "display and promotion" of LGBTQ+ content among under-18s.

The grotesque law prohibits the appereances of different gender identities and homosexuality in TV programmes, films, educational materials and advertisements.

Fourteen EU countries expressed their concern for the discriminatory legislation in a joint statement that also calls on the European Commission to take action, while Munich’s mayor, Dieter Reiter, asked UEFA to light up the Allianz Arena, home to Bayern Munich, in rainbow colors in occasion of the EURO 2020 group stage match between Germany and Hungary.

UEFA rejected the request deeming it as too political.

Ahead of this weekend’s Styrian GP Sebastian Vettel commented on the matter.

“I don’t know all the details but I think to excuse it as a political message I think is the wrong path,” he said.

“It’s definitely not harming anybody and I think it’s a great message that they would have loved to send out and were not allowed.”

Instead other teams in Germany’s soccer league illuminated in rainbow their empty stadiums during yesterday night’s match. From Berlin's Olympiastadion, the home of Hertha Berlin to Eintracht Frankfurt's Deutsche Bank Park, to the Volkswagen Arena, the home of VfL Wolfsburg: all light up in solidarity.

All of the lights, so bright you can see them from Wolfsburg to Munich! 🌈🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/EsvVlBHSZG

— VfL Wolfsburg EN/US 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) June 23, 2021

It’s not the first time such decisions strike controversy in the sport’s world, appearing in collision with campaigns promoting diversity and inclusion sponsored by the very same governing bodies.

An approach that the world champion believes is about  time to change.

"So I think some institutions need to rethink their approach on banning these types of messages. As I said it’s definitely the way forward and I didn’t understand it.”