Bayern in fraternity with ‘Red Deaf’ fans

Article posted by Coliseum, September 8^th, 2023

Image: Coliseum GSVA

From now on, when the team lineup is read out at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Bavaria (Germany), the Bundesliga giants FC Bayern Munich and their Coach Thomas Tuchel will present their names in sign language in videos on the stadium display board.

‘FC Bayern Munich’ stated that the signs were developed by the deaf fan club ‘Red Deaf’ together with the German record champions as part of the ‘Red against Racism’ initiative. In the next step, the project will also be implemented with the FC Bayern Women and the FC Bayern Basketball players. The fan club members also created signs for ‘Mia san Mia’ (‘We Are Who We Are’) and ‘Red against Racism’.

The Allianz Arena is a football stadium in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, with a 70,000 seating capacity for international matches and 75,000 for domestic matches. Widely known for its exterior of inflated ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) plastic panels, it is the first stadium in the world with a full color changing exterior. It serves as the home arena of the FC Bayern Munich.

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FC Bayern, Bayern Munich, or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria (Germany). It is best known for its professional men’s football team, which plays in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the German football league system.

FC Bayern Frauen is a German professional women’s football team based in Munich, Bavaria. They currently play in the Frauen-Bundesliga, the top women’s league in Germany. The 2,500-capacity FC Bayern Campus in Munich serves as their home ground.

FC Bayern München Basketball GmbH, commonly referred to as Bayern Munich, is a professional basketball club, a part of the FC Bayern Munich sports club, based in Munich, Germany. The club competes domestically in the Basketball Bundesliga and internationally in the EuroLeague (he top-tier men’s league in Europe). The 6,700-capacity BMW Park in Munich, Germany, serves as their residence.

‘FC Bayern Munich’ quoted Herbert Hainer, FC Bayern President, as stating, “It was important to us that the signs for our players come directly from the FC Bayern fans. This joint project is intended to broaden perspectives and provide encouragement. Inclusion is an important task in our society, and sport in particular can do a lot to bring people together.”

Stated Manuel Neuer, FC Bayern Captain, “We’re very proud that the FC Bayern fans have developed special signs for us players. No one should feel excluded here, a sports club should always be a home for everyone. I’m glad I now have my own sign and would love it if all fans remembered the signs to improve communication and with it the integration of people with hearing disabilities.”

Added Martina Bechtold, Chairwoman of the Red Deaf FC Bayern fan club, “It’s been a pleasure for us to have developed signs for the players of FC Bayern. FC Bayern is a big family and we now feel even more a part of this community through this joint project. We’ve been thinking about the signs for many months, and it’s been a special experience implementing the project together with the players. We can now feel yet again: Mia san Mia!”

Stated Kim Krämer, FC Bayern disabled fans’ representative, “This joint project between FC Bayern and fans with hearing disabilities is another wonderful example of how inclusion is lived and breathed at this club. It’s a great signal that the signs for the players were developed by the fans themselves. This is how you promote togetherness and a sense of community. FC Bayern is a home for everyone.”

The meanings of the individual signs

Goal

Manuel Neuer: New
Sven Ulreich: His hairstyle
Tom Ritzy Hülsmann: Husk + man

Defence

Dayot Upamecano: Defence
Minjae Kim: Size
Matthijs de Ligt: Jersey Number 4
Benjamin Pavard: Curls
Alphonso Davies: Speed
Bouna Sarr: Earring
Raphaël Guerreiro: Chin shape
Tarek Buchmann: Book + man
Noussair Mazraoui: Goatee

Midfield

Joshua Kimmich: Raised eyebrow
Leon Goretzka: Muscle mass
Paul Wanner: His hairstyle + letter W
Konrad Laimer: Glue
Ryan Gravenberch: Broad smile
Jamal Musiala: His goal celebration

Attack

Serge Gnabry: His goal celebration
Harry Kane: His hairstyle
Leroy Sané: Hair band
Kingsley Coman: Outside lane/overtaking lane
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting: His goal celebration ‘Ça donne’
Thomas Müller: Profession – miller
Gabriel Vidović: His hairstyle
Mathys Tel: Pony tail
Arijon Ibrahimović: Buzz cut

Coach

Thomas Tuchel: Cap

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