After the terrible chaos that shook the club at the last edition, FC Bayern is experiencing a comparatively relaxed annual general meeting this time. The subject of Qatar is dealt with largely vaguely, only Uli Hoeneß causes trouble at the very end.
Qatar critic Michael Ott said he had to listen to some “bad words” from Uli Hoeneß after his speech at the annual general meeting of FC Bayern Munich. The 70-year-old honorary president verbally attacked club member Ott in the Audi Dome, as reported by several media. “Your appearance was embarrassing. This is the Bayern Munich football club and not the General Assembly of Amnesty International,” said Hoeneß zu Ott, who also repeated the wording after the event on Saturday evening.
Ott wanted to submit a spontaneous motion at the tumultuous annual general meeting a year ago to have the members vote on FC Bayern’s sponsorship deal with the airline Qatar Airways, which was very controversial among some Munich fans. The presidium around Herbert Hainer did not allow that at the time. On Saturday evening, Ott asked the re-elected president directly whether he would extend the contract – as of now. “I can’t answer this question with a yes or no today,” answered Hainer. The 68-year-old thought the appearance of the critical club member in the current meeting was okay.
From the statements made by the club’s management around Kahn and Hainer, he heard more of a “tendency to extend” the partnership with the Qatari airline, Ott said. The question of plan B was finally “circumvented” by those responsible. He complained that FC Bayern was being “instrumentalised” by Qatar. In his view, this is “unacceptable”.
Uli Hoeneß recently caused a stir with a call to the live broadcast “Doppelpass” on Sport1. He railed against the former DFL managing director Andreas Rettig and at the same time vehemently defended the World Cup host Qatar. During the discussion about the controversial human rights situation in the emirate, Hoeneß was spontaneously put through by phone and called Rettig the “king of hypocrites”.
He wanted to ask Rettig, who had previously called for the World Cup to become “the biggest PR disaster”, “whether he doesn’t shower so warmly in winter, whether he uses the gas that we’re about to get from Qatar whether he has ever thought about it,” said Hoeneß at the beginning of his monologue, which lasted several minutes. “And one thing is already certain: The World Cup and the commitment of FC Bayern and other sports activities in the Gulf region will lead to the working conditions for the workers there getting better and not worse. You should finally accept that and not constantly look at the Hit people,” said Hoeneß, audibly excited. He accused Rettig of “eternal teasing”.
Hoeneß has been associated with the ruling family in Qatar for years, Rettig replied. “I’m not surprised that you are arguing like that, Mr. Hoeneß, as Qatar’s ambassador,” he said. Qatar’s sport washing, to improve its image by investing in sport, has had an effect. “I would recommend that you expand the sources that you tap on a little bit more soon,” he told Hoeneß.
FC Bayern fans then used the Bundesliga game against Bayer Leverkusen to protest Hoeneß’s statements. “State visits, training camps, thousands of deaths to celebrate the World Cup… It’s only better for your own conscience, Uli H.!” Was the banner.
In his speech, CEO Kahn referred to “progress in labor rights and human rights” in the World Cup host country Qatar. FC Bayern also have a part in this. According to Ott, the fans are more likely to make a difference with their criticism in the emirate, where the World Cup will take place from November 20th to December 18th.
