'Stop the genocide' banner at the UEFA Women's Champions League final

During the UEFA Women's Champions League final between Barcelona and Olympique Lyonnais at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, a banner reading "Stop the genocide" was unfurled on the pitch.

Shortly before the final match began, two activists entered the pitch during the ceremony and displayed a banner featuring a Palestinian flag and a section of the famous painting "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso, which depicts the Spanish Civil War.

The banner featured the words "Stop the genocide" in large letters, with the phrase "EU don't be complicit" written underneath.

THOUSANDS SHOWED SUPPORT

The protest, which took place while the players were posing for the protocol photo and the UEFA Champions League anthem was playing, drew the attention of everyone in the stadium for a short time, and thousands of spectators in the stands supported the action with applause.

In a statement following the incident, UEFA announced that it had not authorized the banner on the pitch, and that the individuals who entered the field without permission were identified by the police and removed from the stadium.

The Spanish representative Barcelona, which won the league title, the Queen's Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup this season, also won the UEFA Champions League by defeating France's Olympique Lyonnais 2-0.

Meanwhile, the FIFA Council is expected to discuss in July the request by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA)—which has the support of the Asian Football Confederation, of which it is a member—to suspend Israel from football, a demand presented at the 74th FIFA Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand, in mid-May.

News Source: AA