Khaberni - The desire of retired defender Jerome Boateng to start an internship at Bayern Munich, the leader of the German first division football league, sparked a wave of objections among some fans, following the ruling last year that convicted the 2014 World Cup winner of causing physical harm to his former girlfriend.
The former German defender, who played for the club between 2011 and 2021, said earlier this week that he had spoken with Bayern coach Vincent Kompany and received approval to start an internship but has not yet set a date.
However, some Bayern fans now oppose such a move after a court in Munich last year issued a suspended fine and warning following his conviction for intentional bodily harm against his former girlfriend.
An online petition titled "Setting Boundaries Against Gender-based Violence - Jerome Boateng Should Not Be Allowed to Return to Bayern Munich" has gathered nearly 2000 signatures by Friday morning.
There was also opposition in 2023 when Bayern was considering a short-term deal with the player, amid a series of injuries that hit the team's defenders.
The trial in 2024 was the third in the case of bodily harm.
Bayern has not commented on the matter. When Kompany was asked last September about Boateng’s interest, he said he would be happy to host
the former player in Munich "to spend a few weeks with us and share his experience as a skilled defender".
Boateng (37 years old), who played 76 matches with the German national team between 2009 and 2018, spent ten years at Bayern Munich after joining the team in 2011 from Manchester City where he was a teammate of Kompany.
Boateng contributed to Bayern Munich winning nine German league titles and two Champions League titles.
He retired last month, and his last participation was with the Austrian club LASK Linz, where his contract was mutually terminated in August.
