Austria ditch 'L'amour toujours' song over far-right misuse
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Austria coach Ralf Rangnick (2nd left) and staff singing the national anthem before the friendly against Turkey in Vienna on March 26, 2024.
PHOTO: AFP
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The Austrian FA (OEFB) will no longer use the song 'L'amour toujours' when the national team plays as it has been misused by far-right sympathisers, the country's media reported on Friday.
The song was previously played as a stadium anthem after goals from Ralf Rangnick's Austria side, but the OEFB will remove it from the playlist.
"The OEFB clearly stands for tolerance, diversity and integration and is committed to respectful coexistence in all areas of society," it said in a statement quoted by Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung.
"Following the recent incidents of misuse, the song will not be played at OEFB international matches."
The OEFB was not immediately available to comment when contacted by Reuters.
The song by Italian DJ Gigi D'Agostino was released in 2000 but has recently been misused by right-wing extremists, who have been filmed shouting xenophobic slogans to the melody.
Austria start their European Championship campaign in Germany against France on June 17. REUTERS
