When it came to Qatar, Uli Hoeneß lost his head. He called the double pass and rumbled against Andreas Rettig on the live broadcast and then reported back to Florian König.
Update from September 27, 11:45 am: Next TV switch with the club patron: This time has Uli Hoeneß from FC Bayern spoke live on RTL – and on this occasion Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann set a deadline.
After a call to Sport1’s “double pass”: Bayern’s Uli Hoeneß reports to moderator Florian König
Update from September 26, 9:31 p.m: Uli Hoeneß not only called live in a double pass on Sunday, but also after the show privately with Sport1 moderator Florian König, as Sport1 itself reports. Because Hoeneß had abruptly ended the call on the show. “He called me afterwards. However, that wasn’t a very long conversation because I was at the security checkpoint at Munich Airport and had to put my cell phone in the scanner,” says König. “He explained that he had already said everything he wanted to say and he didn’t want to comment on Bayern issues either. I wasn’t the next to get his wrath. It was a short but very friendly conversation.”
Update from September 26, 9:24 a.m.: During a one-two on Sport1 on Sunday, Uli Hoeneß made a surprising rant. He had called the program because he wanted to explain his perspective on the Qatar issue and was responding to the critics who had complained about the workers’ conditions. Now the FC Bayern honorary president explained his call on live television.
The trigger, according to Hoeneß Bild, was “Alfred Draxler’s statement not to overload the sport”. “That is the point. Qatar is a shareholder in VW and Deutsche Bank, for example. The Chancellor is asking for oil and gas in Qatar. It’s about our country. Otherwise we could only do business with 17 percent of the world. We Germans have to be careful not to isolate ourselves.”
Hoeneß continues to defend Qatar: “FCB women were the first women’s team to play there with shorts”
Hoeneß’ argument on the show was that the World Cup had improved conditions and human rights. Here, too, he had an example ready. “A few years ago, the FC Bayern women’s team was the first women’s team in Qatar to play with shorts. That was a sensation and a breakthrough for women’s football.” The discussions are “exactly what we need,” says the 70-year-old. “Thanks to football, the focus is on Qatar, which brings changes. I had sensible discussions with those responsible there myself.”
Many suspected that the Bayern leadership would like to prepare the public for the extension of the sponsorship contract, but Hoeneß replies: “No, I don’t know. And it’s not my issue. My point is that we should put our own house in order instead of having hypocritical discussions.” Hoeneß will decide “after the preliminary round” whether he will go to the World Cup himself. “If I have the feeling that our national team is doing well, there’s something in it – then I’ll fly.”
Uli Hoeneß calls in a double pass: pro-Qatar rant and devaluation of critics
First report from September 25th:
Munich – Qatar is a hot topic FC Bayernat the double pass on Sunday was the sponsorship of the WM– Host country again in the focus of the discussion. Andreas Rettig, DFL Managing Director from 2013 to 2015, was also in the round of talks and argued against cooperation with the state, which has been difficult for years human rights violations be accused. Then called Uli Hoeneß without further ado on the show to present his point of view.
Uli Hoeneß calls in a double pass: FC Bayern Honorary President defends Qatar vehemently on live TV
However, the 70-year-old Hoeneß did not spend much time with manners when he greeted him and began his emotional monologue with an attack. “I would like to ask Andreas Rettig, the king of hypocrites, whether he doesn’t shower so warmly in winter and whether he has already thought about gas from Qatar,” Hoeneß attacked the former official.
“And one more argument,” Hoeneß continued. “When the problem was in Afghanistan, all the Germans and officials were only flown out via Qatar with a lot of help from Qatar.” What Hoeneß didn’t mention or even left out: Qatar, which presents itself as an ally of the West, maintains good relations with Islamists. For example, the Taliban maintain a branch office in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Uli Hoeneß rumbles in a double pass: “The workers are better off because of the World Cup”
However, Hoeneß followed suit and jumped to the next point. “And one thing is for sure, the World Cup, FC Bayern’s commitment and other sporting activities will mean that the working conditions for the workers there will be better and not worse.” Qatar is “the only country where things are really getting better,” said Hoeneß, who also complained about the allegedly one-sided reporting on the emirate.
“The workers are doing better and not worse because of the World Cup and we should finally accept that. (…) Because Mr. Scholz or the National team go there, it will be better”, he is sure. In addition, the FC Bayern honorary president claimed that 83 percent of the countries in the world would “not treat human rights like Germany” and that if business relations with these states were to be terminated, one could “close the shop”.
Debate in double pass: Andreas Rettig describes Uli Hoeneß as “ambassador of Qatar”
Rettig, to whom Hoeneß accused a “catastrophic” argument, then also commented and replied: “It doesn’t surprise me that you, as the ambassador of Qatar, argue like this, you have been connected to the house for years,” said the former St. Pauli manager.
“The long way of the Qataris also applies to you when it comes to sports washing. And I strongly encourage you to start chatting with people. Yesterday I was at an event organized by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, where Amnesty International was also present, and I spoke to a blogger from Kenya, who was there. Let us explain the circumstances under which people work in this country,” said Rettig, who referred to the difficult conditions for the many migrant workers in the country.
“I can only hope that Mr. Neuendorf (DFB President, note) will prevail with these issues and with the funds for the thousands of construction site victims. Yesterday the report from those who were there was impressive. I would recommend that you expand your sources a bit more,” said the 59-year-old in the direction of Hoeneß.
Hoeneß scandal in a one-two: Andreas Rettig leads the quote from Beckenbauer
However, he did not go into the points factually and responded with a counter-question: “Have you ever been to Qatar? I’ve already been to Qatar and was able to take a look around”, Rettig replied that Qatar was not a travel destination for him and added another dig: “Mr. Beckenbauer didn’t see any slaves either,” said the man from Leverkusen, who referred to Franz Beckenbauer’s statement in 2013, which provoked shocked reactions at the time. “I assume that you would search a little more intensively,” Hoeneß replied. Rettig had the final word and made it clear: “You can assume that”.
The Qatar theme is at FC Bayern also because of the fixed winter training camp in January again brought into focus. The presidency already took care of this last year at the annual general meeting for a scandal when it wanted to silence Qatar critics. The next general assembly will take place in October, where Qatar sponsorship could again become one of the central issues. (ajr)