What is the life of the community around the end of 2021? There is no shortage of a Golden Ball for, leading in the Bundesliga or the drawing of pairs of the 1/8 finals of the Champions League. These topics mean nothing compared to the sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways, and arguing about it is also a discussion of the club’s identity. Her issue caused such a row at the club’s annual general meeting that Uli Hoeness – now the honorary president of Bayern, associated with the Bavarian club for over 40 years – admitted in an interview with “Kicker” that it was “the worst general meeting of Bayern ever. took part in”.
Money do not stink
The agreement between Bayern and Qatar Airways has been in force for four years. The Qatar people transfer 20 million euros annually, and their logo appears on the sleeves of the match shirts. German fans protested against this cooperation from the very beginning. – In 2018 Angela Merkel called on German companies to restore relations with Qatar – explained the former club boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. “Bayern is a successful club, but also a company,” he added.
According to the maxim “money does not stink”, the Bavarians have established business cooperation with the Qatar, who are increasingly pushing themselves into world football. It is not only the club they own, but also next year’s world championship, bringing stars to the home league (Xavi) or promoting the World Cup (David Beckham). The Qatar authorities, which violate human rights, have not stopped, but this expansion is not to everyone’s liking.
The fans are protesting
Bayern fans have long expressed their indignation over the deal with Qatar Airways. At the beginning of November, they hung a huge banner at the Allianz Arena stadium during the match against Freiburg with the words: “We will wash everything for money!” There are also images of club managers Oliver Kahn and Herbert Hainer, who put bloody clothes in the washing machine with the inscription “Qatar” among the banknotes.
A hot meeting
Bayern’s contract with Qatari airlines ends in 2023. At the last general meeting, its extension was discussed. Fans are against – they called for Hainer and Kahn to leave. As he went onstage to speak, some supporters began chanting: “We are the fans you don’t want,” “We are Bayern.” In reaction, the former head of the German champions declined to speak.
Fans tried to vote the motion to reject the contract, but in the end it was not put to the vote. The club’s authorities refer to the ruling of the court in Munich, which stated that the club may decide to extend the contract with QA without the consent of the assembly. The stalemate continues, it is unknown how this confusion will end. – It cannot be that the proposal from Qatar is not voted on at the general meeting. Why don’t we just accept the second best offer after Qatar Airways, why can’t we go another route? – asked Gregor Weinreich, former president of the Bayern fans’ association.
The supporter leader attacks, Kahn replies
The German media note that there has not yet been such an argument in Bayern over a sponsor coming from the Middle East. The author of the application for rejection of cooperation with the Qatar is Michael Ott, a trainee attorney-at-law and a Bayern fan. After the end of the assembly, Ott called on the club’s management for talks. – The state of permanent war cannot last forever. The wounds were scratched, but we have to go back to the discussion – said “Sportschau”. Earlier, he argued that “Qatar is responsible for human rights violations, it is accused of corruption in sports, and Bayern supports this country by using sponsorship”.
Ott repeated in subsequent speeches that the fans are not proud of the money from the Qatar. – You cannot sacrifice our values completely on the altar of success – he argued. – How can we be proud of money that is drenched in blood? In my opinion, this is a reason for great shame – he added.
Oliver was a guest of Sky a few days ago. He admitted that the contract with Qatar Airlines could still be renewed. – I can’t rule out anything. When the time is right, we’ll make a decision. After the World Cup, we will evaluate the situation, he said. – Do Qatar Airways match Bayern? We also transport our values to Qatar. We all know the power of football, ‘he concluded, referring to the subject of human rights.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
