Jérôme Boateng will not be returning to FC Bayern, which is the right decision. However, it appears that there is still a lack of understanding among the club's decision-makers regarding the problems of misogynistic violence and abuse of power. The decision has been publicly explained as being based solely on the controversial discussion surrounding him as a person. Furthermore, it is not clear what is being done to reduce the likelihood and conditions for such serious acts of violence by an active employee, as Boateng was at the time of his actions. Misogynistic violence is commonplace in our society, and FC Bayern faces the challenge and responsibility of finally addressing it.

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TERRE DES FEMMES is a non-profit women's rights organisation. They say of the case: "Violence against women and domestic violence is never a “private matter” – regardless of whether the perpetrator is a prominent professional footballer, a colleague, a neighbour or a best friend.

*In prominent and documented cases of violence against women, there should be no question as to whose side an institution is on. The message should be clear: yes, there are consequences for perpetrators. Women who are affected are believed when they break their silence. And structures are consciously examined and changed. Non-disclosure agreements for women and public victim-offender reversal cannot be part of a club or corporate culture. Such an approach cannot undo the wrongs that have been done, but it can prevent them in the future and at the same time give courage and strength to many other victims.*

*The culture of silence and cover-ups must make way for a strong support network. So that victims of violence are supported rather than isolated.*

*Large clubs, companies and industries in particular must take active measures against violence against women and establish effective structures in which help and safety are guaranteed. As a society and community, we must take a clear stand against domestic violence, including as employers and sports clubs. As the club with the most registered fans in Germany, FC Bayern should stand united behind the victims of violence, not the perpetrators. In Germany, statistically speaking, one in four women is affected by sexual or physical violence at least once in her life. As long as this violence is dismissed as a ‘private matter’, the perpetrators can continue to be seemingly respectable citizens, neighbours, friends, employees and teammates.*

*TERRE DES FEMMES is committed to ensuring that women affected by violence are taken seriously and actively protected. All of TERRE DES FEMMES' demands on the subject of domestic violence can be found* [*here*](https://frauenrechte.de/unsere-arbeit/haeusliche-und-sexualiserte-gewalt/unsere-forderungen/forderungen-zu-haeuslicher-gewalt)*."*

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We expect our club, FC Bayern, to now make efforts to create better structures in which the players, employees, their families and the players' wives are no longer exposed to an increased risk of violence and abuse of power. Ana-Cristina Grohnert, Chairwoman of Charta der Vielfalt e.V., [already urged FC Bayern five years ago](https://fcbayern.com/basketball/de/news/2020-2021/04/bc-talk-mit-ana-cristina-grohnert): ‘We must dare to think in new ways, and to do so we must bring many different voices into the conversation and sit them down at the table. This may be uncomfortable, but we have a responsibility to society.’

The Berlin Association for Women's Shelter Coordination is demanding four key points that can be clearly linked to the situation at FC Bayern and which have not yet been adequately addressed by the club:

1. Earlier prevention in the form of education during training – at FC Bayern, at least one lecture and workshop must be part of youth training in order to raise awareness of the issue among young players, and mandatory workshops must also be offered for the club's managers.

2. Better access to counselling centres, women's shelters and legal support – as a first step, the club could make its contact point for victims of misogynistic violence more visible to the public, encourage them to actively approach women in their area, and launch programmes in cooperation with local associations. If we really want to see ourselves as the FC Bayern family, these contact points must also be visible and accessible to the families of employees and the players' wives.

3. Structural and cultural changes – Greater diversity in club management also leads to decisions within the club that take into account the perspectives of people from structurally discriminated and underrepresented groups. In the [FKM's 2025 annual report on the state of diversity in German professional football](https://fussballkannmehr.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/FKM_Bericht25_Lage_der_Liga.pdf), FC Bayern ranks last in almost all areas.

4. Raising public awareness and taking responsibility – the initiative to illuminate the Allianz Arena in orange is a good start, but in order to take responsibility, one must also actively address one's own problems instead of just pointing fingers at others and sharing warm words. FC Bayern should commission an independent review or investigation, as it has already done, for example, with its [examination of the club's history during the Nazi era](https://fcbayern.com/de/news/2022/01/ifz-projekt-zum-vereinsleben-des-fc-bayern-waehrend-der-ns-diktatur---beispielhafter-neuer-weg).



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TERRE DES FEMMES is an NGO that is primarily financed by donations – you can support them here: [https://frauenrechte.de/spenden-und-stiften/jetzt-online-spenden](https://frauenrechte.de/spenden-und-stiften/jetzt-online-spenden)

Frauenhauskoordinierung e. V. (FHK) was founded in Frankfurt am Main in 2001 on the initiative of welfare organisations to work on behalf of its members to reduce violence against women and improve support for affected women and their children. FHK coordinates, networks and supports the support system, promotes professional cooperation and pools practical experience in order to feed it into political decision-making processes and specialist political discourse.

[Petition] Boateng decision reveals lack of appraisal: FC Bayern needs clear structures against misogynistic violence and abuse of power - 4 demands to the leadership