Familiar face takes another swipe at Bayern: Dreesen responds with sarcasm | OneFootball

At the FC Bayern annual general meeting, Michael Ott once again voiced criticism of a club partnership—this time, Emirates was in the spotlight. CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen responded with mockery and clear words.

Ott has been known for years as a sharp critic of the club’s management. In the past, he had already publicly questioned the sponsorship by Qatar Airways and the partnership with Rwanda—and is considered by many fans to be an uncomfortable, sometimes controversial, admonisher on human rights issues. At the AGM, he once again took the microphone with a critical statement.

This time, his focus was on the new collaboration with the airline Emirates. According to Ott, the United Arab Emirates are considered supporters of the RSF militias, who are allegedly responsible for serious human rights violations in Sudan. “How can it be that our club repeatedly engages in image-building for such regimes, which cause lasting damage to our club’s reputation and contradict our values?” he asked the members. There were boos from the audience—but also some approval.

“Sport depends on it…”

Photo: IMAGO/Kirchner-Media | Photo: IMAGO/Kirchner-Media

Dreesen began his response with a mocking remark: “Mr. Ott, nice to see you again. I missed you last year—maybe you were on vacation. Hopefully not on a flight.”

He then became serious and defended the cooperation: “Sport depends on us being able to pay for it, at least professional sport. Emirates has been active in sports for 25 years. We thoroughly vet every sponsor, but we cannot answer geopolitical questions—that is the job of politics.” The CEO emphasized that Emirates is a “deserving partner in sport” with whom the club will continue to stand.

The Munich club signed the long-term contract with Emirates in August 2025. The partnership runs until the 2031/32 season and includes, among other things, advertising boards in the Allianz Arena. According to media reports, FC Bayern receives around five million euros per year.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.