“Human Rights” was emblazoned on the shirts of the German national players when they performed the national anthem against Iceland in March. But the DFB’s commitment to human rights doesn’t seem to be more than lip service …
The association is currently negotiating a sponsorship agreement with Qatar Airways. According to BamS information, the DFB Presidium decided at its last meeting to terminate the contract with Lufthansa (by 2022) because the payments are to be reduced significantly. The total volume of this package – including all free flights – is said to have been over 25 million euros annually.
But does the successor have to come from a country where human rights are trampled underfoot?
Peter Peters, who currently forms the interim dual leadership of the DFB with Rainer Koch, on BamS: “I cannot evaluate and comment on a situation if I do not yet know the economic details.”
The topic is currently with Holger Blask, Managing Director “Marketing and Sales” of the new DFB GmbH. He is said to have already reported on the initiation of talks with Qatar to the Presidential Committee.
In politics, this causes horror. Gyde Jensen (31 / FDP), Chairwoman of the Bundestag Committee for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, on BamS: “The DFB must be clearly aware of the external impact of such negotiations. Demonstrating on the green grass for human rights and then striving for sponsorship contracts with the state airline of a country in which the human rights situation is extremely fragile hardly fits together. “
Cem Özdemir (55), member of the Bundestag for the Greens, also shakes his head: “The European Championship showed how far football has moved away from the European economy – almost all of the European Championship sponsors come from Asia, the USA or Qatar. If the DFB wants to take a sustainable path in association with stakeholders close to it, these discussions should not be held. “
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