After the round table at FC Bayern Munich, fan representative Michael Ott spoke in an interview. He hopes for further dialogue – because the complete list of questions has not yet been processed.
Since 2017, there has been a desire among the critical Bayern supporters for a “round table” at FC Bayern Munich because of the sponsorship from Qatar, reports fan representative Michael Ott in the BR interview. That’s why he described it as a great success that the talks with those responsible for the club, in this case CEO Oliver Kahn and President Herbert Hainer, from Qatar and human rights activists could take place.
But Ott didn’t seem completely happy in a conversation with Taufig Khalil, the FC Bayern reporter for Bayerischer Rundfunk. After all, the round of talks was large and not all fan topics could be addressed.
“We gave Hainer and Kahn a long catalog of questions, which by far could not all be answered. Let’s hope that there can be another format to continue the exchange there.” So there is still something to be discussed between the fans and the club.
Failed Ott motion at the 2021 AGM
Ott was by no means an easy conversation partner, whom the people of Munich invited because of their sponsorship contract with the airline Qatar Airways, which runs until 2023. At the turbulent annual general meeting of FC Bayern in autumn 2021, Ott wanted to submit a spontaneous application to have the sponsorship voted on with the airline.
The presidency did not allow it. Ott then sharply criticized the behavior of the FCB leadership. Together with member Robin Feinauer, who also took part in the round on Monday, he presented the Bayern management with the catalog of questions on the delicate subject. FC Bayern Munich has once again vehemently defended its involvement in the World Cup host country.
Only two fans part of the round table
“I find it completely understandable that fans can have such concerns,” said the deputy director of the German Institute for Human Rights, Michael Windfuhr. “It is important to check: What is the situation in Qatar? There have actually been improvements since the World Cup was planned. It is to be hoped that they will last in the long term.”
However, their implementation is still a problem. “We need to keep addressing this. Of course, economic players like Bayern Munich and others who are active in the country are also important carriers of the embassies.” In the BR interview, Windfuhr was surprised that only two fans were part of the group.
Ott: “If we do advertising, then we don’t have a dialogue”
And so he spoke a little from the soul of Ott and parts of Club No. 12. The Fan Club Association had conducted a survey among members. “More than three quarters of the participants say: There is damage to the image of FC Bayern through the Qatar sponsorship. That is a clear statement,” said Ott.
In addition to the human rights situation, he also cites “the allegations of terrorist financing and corruption in sport”. It is clear: “We have to have a dialogue with Qatar if we want to change something. But if we advertise, then we don’t have a dialogue, then we distract from the problems.”
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Source: BR24 Sport 05.07.2022 – 09:55 a.m
