After five years and 125 million: Bayern ends controversial partnership with Qatar

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Bayern Munich is not renewing its expiring contract with its sponsor Qatar Airways, which is controversial among some fans. The German record champions announced this on Wednesday. The partnership ended “by mutual agreement after five very exciting years together,” according to a statement from the club.

The partnership has existed since 2018 and would have earned Bayern 25 million euros per season. It ends on June 30.

The connections “remain”

“FC Bayern Munich and Qatar Airways have worked together successfully and learned from each other,” said CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, who thanked Akbar Al-Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways. He spoke of a “fruitful collaboration over the years. FC Bayern Munich is a great football club whose games we watched with pleasure and passion.”

Ties with the Arab world “will continue,” said the Munich residents: “Both partners have actively promoted an exchange between the cultures.” This is how friendships were created that also ‘live’.

The active fan scene was critical of the connection from the start because of the human rights situation in the host country of the 2022 World Cup. In 2021 there was a scandal at the Bavarian annual general meeting.

Decision comes as a surprise

The decision to part ways came as a surprise. A little less than two weeks ago, President Herbert Hainer reported talks about an extension. “In addition to the financial and legal aspects, we are also dealing with the social aspects,” he said, announcing: “We will talk to Qatar Airways and then we will see what comes out.”

Apparently, it has not yet been decided who will decorate Bayern’s shirt sleeves in the future. Dreesen’s managers are currently in talks with possible sponsors. (AFP/SME)

Source : Blick