Damien Duff has hit out at UEFA over their decision not to allow a request to illuminate Munich's Allianz Arena in rainbow colours for the Euro 2020 clash between Germany and Hungary.
European football's governing body said the request from Munich mayor Dieter Reiter was rejected because it was political, and made in response to legislation in Hungary banning the display and promotion of homosexuality to under-18s.
Reiter described UEFA’s decision to block the request as “shameful” on Tuesday and said other city landmarks would display rainbow colours instead.
Duff insisted that UEFA's core values are "money and power" as he criticised them for saying that the request was "political".
He told RTE: "To say it's political is absolutely nonsense. There was a chance to show support, their support for the LGBT community that's a global community, that's in Munich, that's in Budapest where recently they played France and there were homophobic chants, homophobic banners in the stadium.
"They talk about core values in their statement. Their core values - and not just because of today, because of my experience with them - it's just money and power. They're the two that jump out to me. They make out that they're about diversity and inclusion.
"They had a chance today to show that, absolutely not. The 'Respect' logo is absolutely everywhere but nobody respects them because of the way they do their work."
Richie Sadlier also slammed UEFA over their decision and the statement they released, which claimed they "respect the rainbow".
He said: "I think UEFA had a choice here - they had the option to stand in solidarity with a community that has been routinely persecuted, marginalised, discriminated against, attacked in locations all over the world. The most recent attack is from the Hungarian parliament.
"They had a chance to do that and they didn't, and they've tied themselves up in knots - the statement there saying on the one hand the rainbow flag is not political, but the request to use it in the stadium is?
"They claim to be about certain values, and there's loads of statements - today's one is the latest one - where they claim to be about equality, and respect, and inclusion, and openness for all.
"You can't credibly claim to be for those things if you run scared at the first opportunity of being up against somebody who attacks those things, which is what they've done today.
"Whatever statements they put out now come out as hollow, cowardly statements."
