Manuel Neuer usually puts on his kit shortly before kick-off, but this time the Bayern goalie wore his jersey around 24 hours beforehand. On Friday Neuer presented a special Bayern shirt for Saturday's last home match of the year against FC Ingolstadt. In place of the Telekom emblem the jersey will bear the Sternstunden logo to promote the charity campaign of the same name.
“The jersey fits well with the Bavarian derby,” commented Neuer with regard to Sternstunden, a campaign initiated by state broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk to assist disabled and destitute kids in Bavaria, Germany, and the whole world. Each donation is used in full to support aid programmes. In total €182 million has been raised so far, used to support more than 2,600 projects.
JOINT COMMITMENT
“Telekom believes it’s crucial we fulfil our social responsibility and send out a message,” declared Michael Hagspihl, Telekom Germany director in charge of private customers, and explained why Bayern's main sponsor is waiving the right to shirt advertising: “Our commitment to FC Bayern goes far beyond sponsorship, we see it as a part of the partnership to launch joint activities.”
Neuer is a Sternstunden partner for the ISuS school in Munich, which stands for integration through immediate education and stabilisation. The Bayern keeper visited the school at which young refugees are educated and prepared for life in Germany, and is fascinated: “It's an impressive project.”
FC Bayern have supported the charity campaign for many years, with signed shirts, meet and greet events, training for kids, and with a charity game in 2005. Now, together with Telekom, the German record champions are dedicating their shirts to Sternstunden. A limited number of jerseys will be auctioned and the receipts used to support Sternstunden projects.
