Bayern’s commitment to International Weeks Against Racism

FC Bayern is once again marking this year’s International Weeks Against Racism in various ways. The footballers at the Allianz Arena and the basketball players at the SAP Garden gathered behind a Red Against Racism banner immediately before their matches. The slogan was printed on their warm-up shirts and will also feature at FC Bayern Women’s home match against Nürnberg on 28 March at the Campus. Furthermore, the club’s diversity initiative places great importance on making a substantive impact. This year, FC Bayern ran its Together Against Racism workshop for staff and members of the club’s PACK MA’S volunteer programme at the FC Bayern Campus.

Following a welcome address by Andreas Werner, who runs Red Against Racism alongside managing director Benny Folkmann, Herbert Hainer gave an introductory speech outlining the aims of the club initiative. “Respect, diversity and openness to the world should not be mere buzzwords but should shape the way we live together and our everyday lives,” explained the president. “Discrimination, of whatever kind, has no place whatsoever in our society. For us at Bayern, Red Against Racism means taking action.” For this reason, he was delighted to be taking part in the workshop: “Our club is proud of people like you.” The workshop was deliberately kept small so that the 25 participants could exchange views in as sensitive an atmosphere as possible. The event concluded at the *1900 clubhouse, where everyone watched the second half of FCB Women’s 5-0 victory in Essen together, whilst reflecting on their impressions of the workshop.

Find out much more about Red Against Racism here:

Red Against Racism was launched six years ago, “because it’s important to us not just to make a mark through sport,” said Hainer. “Sport is rarely just about what happens on the pitch. It’s always about issues such as belonging, tolerance or respect. Ad ultimately the central question is what kind of community do we want to be, how do we want to organise our society?” Sport cannot change the world on its own, “but it brings people together and can help foster a sense of togetherness that overcomes barriers, including those in people’s minds”. Hainer went on to say: “Civil courage begins with courage, and that starts on a small scale, not in the spotlight.” He therefore thanked those present for their involvement in the workshop: “Those who exclude others lose out, in sport as in life.”

One of the aims of the workshop was to raise awareness of the issue among PACK MA’S members, who will in future be organising the initiative’s information stand at events such as the Super Bloom festival at Munich’s Olympic Park, Christopher Street Day or Bayern matchdays, alongside the core team led by Kiki Hasenpusch, Erik-Maurice Böhm, Theresa Grosfeld and Rio Grumbrecht, who once again chaired the workshop at the Campus. The motto “together against racism” hit the nail on the head, according to Hainer: “Because that’s exactly what it’s all about: together. And not with a wagging finger, but with open ears, determination and conviction.” On Monday, Red Against Racism was once again available to staff at the FC Bayern Campus for a discussion, with the likes of Alara Sehitler from the FC Bayern Women’s team taking part in the diversity quiz specially developed by the initiative.

From the basketball team’s EuroLeague match to the Allianz Arena and the FC Bayern Campus, Bayern is again demonstrating during the Weeks Against Racism just how important it is to champion diversity. The club’s partners also got involved, and legend Roy Makaay took to the pitch with others for the match against Union Berlin with the initiative’s slogan emblazoned on his shirt. One workshop participant summed it up: “There were lots of ‘aha’ moments; I learnt a great deal. It really made me think. Keep it up!” The activities of Red Against Racism won’t end with the campaign weeks this year either. In May, two talks with contemporary eyewitness Abba Naor will take place at the FC Bayern Campus for members and FCB youth players. The Holocaust survivor last visited Säbener Straße last year to give a talk and had previously been to the FC Bayern Campus twice. During the away match at St. Pauli, there will be a joint workshop organised by both Bundesliga clubs for their members; the two clubs had already organised a workshop together in Munich last year.