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DFB treasurer Stephan Grunwald defends the change of supplier

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Simon Hofmann / picture alliance / dpa / REVIERFOTO / Getty Images

The German Football Association (DFB) has once again rejected the loud criticism of its change of supplier and speaks of a decision with no economic alternative. The offers from Nike and Adidas were so far apart "that we actually had no choice," said DFB treasurer Stephan Grunwald to the business magazine "Capital".

»To put it in economic language: Adidas' offer was ultimately uncompetitive. The difference between the bidders was significant," said Grunwald: "Because of a difference of two million euros per year, the DFB would not have left adidas." He could neither confirm nor deny the exact sums. According to the Handelsblatt, Nike is said to have offered the DFB 100 million euros annually, around twice as much as Adidas.

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) publicly criticized the deal and criticized the lack of “location patriotism”. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) also joined the criticism. »Adidas should no longer be the national jersey in football? A US company instead? I think it's a wrong decision where commerce destroys a tradition and a piece of home," he wrote on X.

"This decision is incomprehensible and I have to honestly say it is also unpatriotic," said CDU leader Friedrich Merz. Hesse's Prime Minister Boris Rhein also found clear words. “The world champion wears Adidas and not some American fantasy brand,” he said, and he was right in that Argentina, the 2022 World Cup winner in Qatar, will be outfitted by Adidas.

Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) also showed no understanding for the change, according to "Bild". “The national team plays in three stripes – that was as clear as the fact that the ball is round and a game lasts 90 minutes,” said Söder. He would have liked more “straightforwardness” from the DFB, despite the association’s economic problems.

DFB: The decision was the result of a transparent tender

Grunwald now emphasized that the DFB had "carried out a transparent tendering process for the equipment contract" for the first time: "I say very clearly: If we awarded the contract to Adidas with the offers that were on the table and with arguments like that long partnership, trust and loyalty, then I would probably have had the public prosecutor's office in my house by now. Even if the DFB had absolutely wanted to keep Adidas, it would not have been possible based on the offers available. I also expect a Federal Minister of Economics to know something like that.”

Grunwald therefore described the criticism as “kokolores. The tax authorities have revoked the DFB's non-profit status for previous years because they accused us of cheating. We are now carrying out a transparent process. And then politicians seriously demand that we leave out the best economic offer because we don’t like the result of the tender.”

Andreas Rettig also expressed his lack of understanding about the criticism on Friday. "I was surprised that politicians would lean so far out of the window without knowing the numbers, that's a new quality," said the DFB managing director at ProSieben Maxx: "Sometimes it would have been better to remain silent ." The DFB has "responsibility for the base. We shouldn’t be blamed for making such a decision in an economic situation.”

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