The former DFL managing director Andreas Rettig has reacted to Uli Hoeneß’ rant about World Cup host Qatar in Sport1’s “Doppelpass”.

Former DFL managing director Andreas Rettig has reacted to Uli Hoeneß’ poltergeist appearance about World Cup host Qatar on Sport1’s “Doppelpass”. “This is what happens when a Qatar lobbyist meets a man of conviction on human rights issues,” Rettig said in an interview with “Spox” and “Goal”. Hoeneß had called Rettig the “king of hypocrites” after his criticism of Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup.

Rettig suspected “boredom” behind Hoeneß’ call on the TV programme. The former DFL official doubts that the World Cup and FC Bayern’s involvement in the Gulf region will lead to better working conditions: “Change through trade has already not led to success elsewhere.”

The fact that Germany could buy gas in Qatar also didn’t catch on with Rettig: “You can’t offset a strategically deployed sportswashing of an autocratically run state without freedom of the press and freedom of opinion and massive human rights violations, which is also hoping for a personal image transfer by hosting a World Cup, against an economy that has fallen into energy distress through no fault of its own and its fight against it.”

The fact that he might only be able to take cold showers in the winter if gas deliveries from the desert emirate were to stop didn’t bother Rettig either: “I’ve never been a showerer.