View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Sun and Daily Mirror banned from Bayern Munich match over ‘disrespectful, discriminatory’ reports

By Press Gazette

The Sun and the Daily Mirror have been denied accreditation to cover next week's Champions League quarter-final return leg between Bayern Munich and Manchester United – after the German side complained of "disrespectful, discriminatory and personally insulting" coverage.

The two newspapers were condemned by the club for their stories about Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was sent off in the 90th minute of the first-leg match on Tuesday following a foul on Wayne Rooney.

The articles were headlined "You Schwein!" in The Sun and "You Dirty Schwein" in the Mirror. Schwein means "pig" in German.

The club said in a statement: "Following the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg between Manchester United and FC Bayern München last Tuesday, 1 April 2014, UK media the Daily Mirror and The Sun published disrespectful, discriminatory and personally insulting 'reports' about our player Bastian Schweinsteiger. This is unacceptable to FC Bayern München and the club strongly condemns reporting of this nature.

"The Champions League is the main vehicle for UEFA’s major European-wide 'RESPECT' campaign. This logo appears on the shirts of all players in the competition, and all participants in the competition are required to uphold the principles of 'RESPECT'.

"Due to a breach of this commitment by four spectators who displayed a disrespectful banner at the Allianz Arena in Munich during the Round of 16 home fixture against Arsenal, FC Bayern was ordered to close a 700-seat section of the stadium and pay a €10,000 fine. We accepted this sanction.

"FC Bayern München will not issue media accreditation to any representatives of the Daily Mirror and The Sun for the return fixture between FC Bayern München and Manchester United at the Allianz Arena on 9 April 2014."

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Topics in this article : , ,

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network