Bayern Munich defend Qatar partnership, critics attack ‘gross misrepresentation’ | DW | 12.10.2022

German champions Bayern Munich have once again defended their business dealings with Qatar.

In response to a series of questions submitted by fans at a round table event back in July,

Bayern recently posted the full set of questions and answers on their website. The club insisted progress on women’s, workers’ and gay rights is being made in the Gulf state and reiterated their stance that dialogue and exclusion are preferable to exclusion.

“FC Bayern has been involved in discussions about values, interests and respect for other nations for many years,” read the response on the Bayern Munich website.

“As a representative of German sport, the club stands for the normative ideas and values ​​of our liberal democracy, both internally and externally.”

Bayern’s response comes after fans met club members at Bayern’s stadium on July 4, 2022 to discuss “developments in Qatar”. Bayern club president Herbert Hainer, chief executive Oliver Kahn, the Qatari ambassador to Germany Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani, and representatives of Bayern Munich supporters critical of their club’s sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways were all in attendance.

One of them, Michael Ott, made headlines last year when he tried to submit a motion to Bayern’s annual general meeting (AGM) which would have forced the club to commit to not renewing its current deal with the Qatari state airline. When the motion, and others like it, weren’t admitted, the meeting descended into anarchy.

The club’s response, posted on their website on October 11, has left some fans unimpressed with the answers.

Bayern: Dialogue as a vehicle for change

At several points in its responses to a total of 32 questions on human rights, anti-Semitism, finance and other issues, Bayern reiterate their belief in “dialogue” as a vehicle for change.

“With its sponsorship partnership with Qatar Airways, Bayern decided in favor of sporting, economic and social exchange, and against boycotts and exclusion,” the club writes.

“If you believe that something has to change, whether in Qatar or other countries that are not democratically constituted, then this is not possible through exclusion. Bayern believes that changes and developments can only be initiated through exchange.”

On the issue of workers’ rights on World Cup-related construction sites, on which, according to The Guardian, more than 6,500 migrant workers have died since the awarding of the 2022 tournament to Qatar, Bayern insist that progress is being made.

“Amnesty International, the German Institute for Human Rights and the International Labor Association (ILO) have unanimously determined that Qatar is making a difference with regard to workers’ rights,” the club claims, despite regular reports from human rights organizations to the contrary. “But much remains to be done.”

Critics aren’t convinced. “All the talk of engagement and dialogue is utterly meaningless if you’re not prepared to act on it,” Nicholas McGeehan, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW) for five years and a founding director of FairSquare Research and Projects, tells DW.

“Engagement and dialogue is not an end in itself, but Bayern seem to think that just by occasionally sitting down with people and listening to them but then ignoring them counts as engagement, but it doesn’t.”

Bayern have been holding winter training camps in Qatar since 2010

Critics: ‘A gross misrepresentation’

Another common feature running through Bayern’s answers is the claim that the club’s dealings with Qatar Airways are nothing out of the ordinary, as they highlight a number of other prominent German businesses which have Qatari stakeholders, including Volkswagen, Siemens, Porsche and Deutsche Bank. Bayern add that they were given assurances from the highest level before entering into a partnership in 2018.

“In the case of the sponsorship agreement with Qatar Airways, Bayern exchanged views with representatives of the federal government, business, culture and human rights organizations,” the club writes. “The feedback was unequivocal, nobody advised against getting involved with Qatar Airways.”

Human rights researcher McGeehan calls this “a gross misrepresentation of what happened” and highlights clear warnings from Human Rights Watch and others at the time.

“They were given very clear warnings about what could happen if they got involved with Qatar Airways,” McGeehan says. “The advice could not have been clearer. But they’ve clearly ignored that advice and have subsequently embarked on [a journey] which has made them a key component of Qatar’s public relations strategy.

“And as far as the Qataris are concerned, they have fulfilled that role very effectively.”

Bayern Munich members were angry last year’s AGM

Fans: ‘Hot air’

For the Bayern Munich supporters who submitted questions, the responses fall short of expectations. Numerous requests for “concrete evidence” of how Bayern’s partnership with Qatar Airways has led to improvements in human rights have gone unanswered.

“It’s a sign of progress that the club is finally answering the questions, but the answers are unfortunately very vague and actual evidence is almost entirely missing,” supporter group Club Nr. 12 told DW in a statement.

“The communication is slightly better than before last year’s AGM but it’s very thin. And it won’t change anything regarding the position of the fans.”

For Michael Ott, whose motion at last year’s AGM was not admitted, many of the answers are “hot air.” He told broadcaster Sportschau that they give the “impression that a decision to extend [the sponsorship deal]” has already been made.

“It’s frustrating that so many of the fans’ arguments have simply been brushed over,” he said.

Bayern Munich’s 2022 AGM takes place on October 15.

Edited by Jonathan Harding