28th June, 2023
Bayern Munich announced on Wednesday that they would not renew their sponsorship agreement with Qatar Airways, which had long been controversial due to human rights issues in the Gulf country.
Both parties stated in a joint statement that the contract would end “by mutual agreement” on June 30 following a five-year cooperation.
“The connections that FC Bayern has been able to forge with its fans in the Arab world through Qatar Airways will remain,” the statement read.
Jan-Christian Dreesen, Bayern’s new CEO, stated that the squad and Qatar Airways “have worked together successfully and learned from each other.”
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker wished Bayern “all the best in the future.”
“FC Bayern is a great football club whose games we have followed with joy and passion,” he continued.
Germany’s greatest club has long been chastised for its ties to Doha and the state-owned airline over alleged human rights violations, notably in reference to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Members disrupted the club’s 2021 general assembly with boos and chanting calling for the tie with the Gulf state to be severed.
The German national team backtracked on a commitment to wear a “One Love” armband in support of human rights and diversity during last year’s World Cup, blaming the decision on FIFA threats of on-field sanctions.
Before the opening game of the tournament, the German team stood with their hands over their mouths, announcing that they had been silenced by the sport’s regulating body.
Germany was eliminated in the group stage for the second time in a row, but the team denied being distracted by off-field activities.
AFP