Various fans are finding ways to incorporate the rainbow flag into the World Cup in Russia by using their jerseys as the canvas.
During Denmark’s draw against France on June 26, some Danish fans ditched their country’s red and white for more colorful jerseys from Hummel, which has created a series of jerseys to support LGBTQ inclusion in sports.
Another group of fans (in main photo) have created a campaign they call “The Hidden Flag,” and are wearing the jerseys of their favorite teams to create a human rainbow flag around World Cup events.
Some fans claim that waving an actual rainbow flag at World Cup matches will get you arrested. Russian World Cup organizers have made it clear that this is not illegal, and one fan waved a rainbow flag multiple times during Vladimir Putin’s tournament-opening speech and Russia’s tournament-opening match.
This, of course, doesn’t speak to the violence that non-government entities are waging against LGBTQ people in Russia. Hopefully the courageous people making a statement for equality in Russia don’t get harassed for their colorful jerseys.
