The last few weeks have sparked a lot of debate surrounding sports washing in football as the Saudi Arabia-backed consortium completed the take over of Newcastle United. There has been consistent criticism of new owners at Newcastle for their alleged human rights violation activities. Bayern Munich fans have also been vocal about the club’s association with a state-backed firm.
Ever since Die Roten joined hands with Qatar Airways for a sponsorship deal, the fans at home and away grounds have expressed their dissatisfaction. Considering the history of Qatar concerning human rights violation cases, the Bavarian faithful feel disappointed about the club’s association with Qatar Airways.
During the 2-1 win against Freiburg at Allianz Arena, new club chiefs Oliver Kahn and Herbert Hainer were criticized by home fans with a big banner. The banner took a dig at them for working with Qatar Airways, which indirectly contributes to Sports Washing.
Earlier in October, some fans also signed a motion to make sure that Die Roten ends the partnership with Qatar Airways as soon as possible. The banners at the grounds have not made an impact as the club chiefs have consistently defended the deal with Qatar Airways.
Bayern Munich fans continued their protest against their club's connections with Qatar Airways on human rights grounds.
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 8, 2021
"We'll wash anything clean for money," says the banner, which depicts CEO Oliver Kahn and President Herbert Hainer. pic.twitter.com/MmsbFdg4rx
Bayern has enjoyed a lot of success in the past decade. They have a dominant force in the Bundesliga, while two Champions League titles were also added to the trophy cabinet. The German Champions are attracting big sponsorship deals due to their success on the pitch.
The sponsorship deals boost revenue, but the fans are justified to be disappointed about the club’s deal with Qatar Airways. It also shows that fans are not ready to sell their souls and stop acknowledging such kinds of deals at the expense of more silverware/success.
Bayern has a big global following, so signing such types of deals will definitely send a bad signal across the fanbase. The match-going fans will keep themselves heard with banners and chants, so it remains to be seen how long Rekordmeister will persist with this deal.
If the Bavarian faithful manages to force the club to rethink about the deal with Qatar Airways, then it will send a strong message across top European clubs. Fans of other big clubs will be encouraged to speak up against the wrong policies or deals signed by their clubs. The Bavarian faithful should be an example for all fans across the globe for sticking for a cause and making a statement in stadiums