Bayern Munich has issued an official statement this Wednesday informing that at the end of the month it will put an end to its sponsorship relationship with Qatar Airways, one of its main sponsors whose logo wore on the sleeve of the first team shirt, after five years of “successes”.
Behind this decision not to renew the contract, which brought 20 million euros a year to the Bavarian club, are the continuous and loud protests by various groups of fans, some ultras, with the violation of human rights and the working conditions of the immigrants to prepare the World Cup in Qatar 2022 as a background.
The biggest protests in these five years of relationship was, without a doubt, the one that took place in 2021 during Bayern’s annual general assembly. That day, dozens of fans present loudly booed the then general manager Oliver Kahn. The reason was none other than the club’s refusal to put the agreement with Qatar Airways to a vote.
It is not the only example of the fight against “anything goes” in German football. The German league was unable to meet its revenue targets when it sold its television rights last May to various investment funds due to opposition, among others, from St. Pauli, whose fans are highly committed to social causes. .
It should be remembered that more than a decade ago, Sandro Rosell, president of Barça, also opted to sign a sponsorship agreement with the Qatar Foundation that was very controversial in Barcelona, ??generating the rejection of a part of his fans.
