Hungary’s government has launched an astonishing defence of the school children who booed England taking the knee, insisting they cannot be ‘blamed for any kind of political statement’.
More than 30,000 young fans were in attendance to watch their side defeat Gareth Southgate’s men 1-0 in their Nations League clash at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
That was despite the fact the hosts were meant to be playing behind closed doors as punishment for racist and homophobic chants at Euro 2020.
But the country’s FA took advantage of a loophole in UEFA regulations, which allowed 30,000 children in to watch the match for free accompanied by 3,000 adults.
And there were more unsavoury scenes from Hungary fans on Saturday evening after a sizeable number jeered as Harry Kane and his team-mates took the knee in an anti-racism gesture.
But the country’s Secretary of State for International Communication and Relations, Zoltan Kovacs, labelled those blaming the children for booing the gesture as ‘idiots’.
Hungary’s government has defended the school children who booed England taking the knee
Supporters jeered as Harry Kane and his team-mates took the knee in an anti-racism gesture
But Zoltan Kovacs has labelled those blaming the children for booing the gesture as ‘idiots’
‘Anyone who thinks that children attending a football match in Budapest can be blamed for any kind of political statement is truly an idiot,’ Kovacs tweeted. ‘Congratulations to our national team, applause for the 35,000 kids.’
The gesture has also met hostility in the form of Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who said last year pressuring athletes to take the knee was ‘provocation.’
‘If you’re a guest in a country then understand its culture and do not provoke it,’ Orban said. ‘Do not provoke the host… We can only see this gesture system from our cultural vantage point as unintelligible, as provocation.
‘The fans reacted the way those who are provoked usually react to provocation. They do not always choose the most elegant form (of reaction) but we have to understand their reasons… I agree with the fans.’
He added that he had no sympathy for ‘this kneeling business’, and added: ‘I don’t think this has any place on the pitch. Sport is about other things.’
The gesture has also met hostility from Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban
England boss Gareth Southgate however expressed his dismay at what happened on Saturday, stating: ‘I was very surprised. I thought that’s why we do it, to try to educate. I think young people can only be influenced by older people.
‘The atmosphere when we arrived at the stadium, there were kids lining the streets they were really friendly, they were waving when we were walking out, there were pantomime boos when the team came out to warm up, that was different with the taking of that knee.
‘That felt like inherited thinking to me. And I hear that still in our stadiums as well.
‘That’s why we do it, that’s why we continue to take that stand and we will keep doing that. On a day like today, when we haven’t won the game and haven’t played well enough it’s probably better for me to take criticism rather than talk about that.’
But Southgate also questioned how a raucous 30,000-plus crowd, which created a huge din, squared with a punishment for discriminatory behaviour. ‘How that aligns with the decision is difficult to understand,’ he said.
England boss Gareth Southgate however expressed his dismay at what happened on Saturday
‘From a development perspective I want and need my team to be playing in front of supporters, but that’s not the point in this instance. I’m torn between what we got from it and what the reality should have been.’
‘That needs some consideration.’
Meanwhile, Three Lions defender Conor Coady said they will continue taking the knee before matches despite the hostility the gesture faced in Hungary.
He told talkSPORT after their 1-0 defeat: ‘We heard it. We’ve spoken about it now enough as a team, we’ve spoken about it enough as individuals, whether it be at our club, whether it be playing for our country, we’ve spoken up about it.
‘We understand I hope people understand why we’re doing this sort of things now.
Three Lions defender Conor Coady said they will continue taking the knee before matches
‘This won’t stop us from doing it in the future. It’s not something that will stop us.
‘We hope people understand what we’re trying to do and then message we’re trying to create – and that won’t stop.
‘The majority of people take it really well and the majority of people really back us and support us in terms of what we’re trying to do, and we won’t stop doing that now.
‘People take it in a different way, but it’s important we don’t stop and stop our beliefs moving forward.’
