The national coach of the Danish men’s national football team, Kasper Hjulmand, has been awarded the prize “Salmon of the Year” by LGBT + Denmark.
This is stated by DBU on its website.
The award is given to a person who over the past year has done something special for the movement, representing homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender people and others who break with the norms of gender and sexuality.
Hjulmand receives the award because he got involved in the debate about the use of rainbow colors in stadiums during this summer’s European Football Championship.
It was in connection with UEFA banning the European Championship stadium in Munich from being illuminated in rainbow colors.
The marking was put in place because the Hungarian government earlier this year introduced a law making it illegal to “show and promote” homosexuality to children and young people under 18 years of age.
Uefa did not want that when the association found the marking political, but it surprised Kasper Hjulmand at the time.
– Football is the biggest social phenomenon in the world, and if we use it right, then we can create some social changes that are good.
– And it has nothing to do with politics, and I do not like political statements, because this is not for me.
– What is politics, and what are more fundamental human rights that were signed in 1948? (UN Declaration of Human Rights, ed.)
– We are born equal, and we celebrate diversity, and we celebrate that everyone is equal. For me, it has nothing to do with politics, he said.
At LGBT + Denmark, front person Ask Ulrich Petersen says that Kasper Hjulmand with his statement showed that everyone must be who they want to be.
– As Hjulmand himself so correctly put it in an interview, football is the biggest social phenomenon in the world and has the potential to create positive, social change.
– That potential Kasper Hjulmand helped to live out by standing firm on human rights and using the sport to send a clear signal to governments around the world, he says the press release.
Kasper Hjulmand states in the press release that he is happy to receive the award.
– But it means even more to me if it can focus on the challenges we have, help and make a difference, he says.
Source: The Nordic Page