P. Littbarski
Well-Known Member
Bayern threaten to quit Bundesliga
BERLIN, April 9 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich have threatened to pull out of the German Bundesliga if they are docked points for a controversial marketing deal, club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has warned.
The former Bayern and Germany striker said the club would end their association with all bodies ruling the German game if they were handed a sanction they did not agree with.
'If there is a verdict that we cannot accept, the consequence would be that we would pull out of all bodies [ruling German soccer],' Rummenigge told Wednesday's Sport-Bild weekly magazine.
Bayern are under investigation from the German Football League (DFL) after admitting having received a top-up of Euros21.5million through a secret marketing deal with the troubled KirchMedia group.
The club insisted no-one was harmed by the deal but the DFL has to rule whether the payment, on top of television cash passed on to all German professional clubs via the Bundesliga, contravened the principle of central marketing. A verdict is expected in the next few days.
The DFL is responsible for professional football in Germany and runs the top-flight Bundesliga as well as the second division.
Central marketing, agreed by all clubs, ensures that all the professional clubs benefit from a share of the sum generated by television rights.
Bayern are 14 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga but Rummenigge said the club would not accept a points deduction, even if it meant Bayern still became champions.
'We will not accept a points deduction,' he said. 'That's a question of principle.'
Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern's former chairman and now the president of the club's supervisory board, said last month that Bayern would also refuse a fine.
The former Bayern and Germany defender also threatened to pull the club out of the Bundesliga if they suffered a sanction they considered unfair, saying Bayern could move to the Italian league.
'Then the Bundesliga will have to see how they go without us,' Beckenbauer said. 'We'll join the league in Italy and play against Milan and Rome.'
Bayern's controversial contract with KirchMedia ended after the Bundesliga rights-holders went into administration with huge losses last year.
BERLIN, April 9 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich have threatened to pull out of the German Bundesliga if they are docked points for a controversial marketing deal, club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has warned.
The former Bayern and Germany striker said the club would end their association with all bodies ruling the German game if they were handed a sanction they did not agree with.
'If there is a verdict that we cannot accept, the consequence would be that we would pull out of all bodies [ruling German soccer],' Rummenigge told Wednesday's Sport-Bild weekly magazine.
Bayern are under investigation from the German Football League (DFL) after admitting having received a top-up of Euros21.5million through a secret marketing deal with the troubled KirchMedia group.
The club insisted no-one was harmed by the deal but the DFL has to rule whether the payment, on top of television cash passed on to all German professional clubs via the Bundesliga, contravened the principle of central marketing. A verdict is expected in the next few days.
The DFL is responsible for professional football in Germany and runs the top-flight Bundesliga as well as the second division.
Central marketing, agreed by all clubs, ensures that all the professional clubs benefit from a share of the sum generated by television rights.
Bayern are 14 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga but Rummenigge said the club would not accept a points deduction, even if it meant Bayern still became champions.
'We will not accept a points deduction,' he said. 'That's a question of principle.'
Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern's former chairman and now the president of the club's supervisory board, said last month that Bayern would also refuse a fine.
The former Bayern and Germany defender also threatened to pull the club out of the Bundesliga if they suffered a sanction they considered unfair, saying Bayern could move to the Italian league.
'Then the Bundesliga will have to see how they go without us,' Beckenbauer said. 'We'll join the league in Italy and play against Milan and Rome.'
Bayern's controversial contract with KirchMedia ended after the Bundesliga rights-holders went into administration with huge losses last year.
