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The original was posted on /r/soccer by /u/bookface3 on 2025-10-17 20:51:53+00:00.

Jérôme Boateng wants to become a coach and do an internship at FC Bayern. The World Cup winner’s plans for the future and the debate surrounding them show that violence in football – not only against women – is still underestimated. A commentary by Nora Hespers.

Friday morning, 10 a.m. Press conference at Bayern ahead of the top match against Dortmund. The colleagues present have questions about the match – but one question is not asked: Will Jérôme Boateng actually do a coaching internship at FC Bayern?

The answer to this question would reveal a lot, but unfortunately it was not asked. This also says a lot about the football system, which has recently been in the news again: physical, psychological and sexual violence are widespread there. In a survey conducted by Correctiv and 11 Freunde, nearly 500 people shared their experiences of violence in this system. These ranged from shouting and humiliation to beatings, sexual assault and serious rape. Sportschau.de also repeatedly reports on assaults by coaches in football.

Boateng posed together with Till Lindemann

The system has a problem with violence – Jérôme Boateng’s problem with violence apparently remains a private matter. In recent years, there have been several public reports that the former Bayern professional has been involved in physical conflicts with ex-partners on more than one occasion. Psychological violence is also said to have played a role in the relationships.

Now, one could argue that Jérôme Boateng has no criminal record. Although he was fined for domestic violence, the penalty remained below the threshold at which a criminal record is entered. And, of course, no one should be prejudged and everyone should have the chance to rehabilitate themselves. However, Jérôme Boateng did not take advantage of this opportunity. Instead, in April, he posed for a photo with Rammstein singer Till Lindemann and shared it on Instagram.

Boateng obtained his B licence from the Bavarian Football Association

This is the image that Jérôme Boateng presents of himself in public. And it seems that this is not considered to be a problem. Jérôme Boateng recently obtained a coaching licence from the Bavarian Football Association (BFV) without any problems. The B coaching licence, which he obtained there in a special course, is intended to train coaches for ambitious youth and adult football. And that raises the question: is someone with this background suitable for training young people? Because it’s not just about football. Coaches should also be people that children and young people can look up to.

In addition, the coaching licence also applies to competitive sports for girls and women. How would they actually feel about having Jérôme Boateng as their coach? Would they feel comfortable? Would they perhaps have reservations about the coach because of his history – or even be afraid of provoking him with their behaviour? Afraid of being shouted at and humiliated? And would that be acceptable to the Bavarian Football Association and football in general?

Reporting on Boateng comes mainly from women

The Boateng case clearly highlights the problems inherent in the football system – problems that repeatedly lead to violence being perpetrated within this system. Incidentally, this is also particularly evident in youth football, as previous research has shown. It demonstrates the extent to which men support and protect each other in this environment.

However, the case also shows that the initial reporting on Jérôme Boateng’s possible return to FC Bayern Munich – this time as a trainee coach – was primarily and first and foremost classified and commented on by female journalists. Examples include Eva-Lotta Bohle in the ‘11-Freunde’ podcast and Inga Hofmann, head of the sports editorial department at ‘Tagesspiegel’. Initially, there was also no corresponding reporting on sportschau.de because it was not certain whether Boateng would actually be interning at FC Bayern or whether he had essentially invited himself.

Violence against women is not a private matter

This is also part of the problem and shows how deeply rooted these structures are and how much we need an outside perspective to address the problems within them. It is also fitting that, for example, the DFB initially refused to agree to a Safer Sport Code. This is a decision that should be reconsidered in light of the latest revelations.

We need greater awareness of violent structures and violent behaviour, and not just in football. And we need greater awareness of the dramatic consequences of sexism, especially in football. Violence against women and violence against partners is not a private matter. It is an expression of a fundamentally problematic understanding of violence. Violence that does not remain confined to the domestic sphere. But which is completely underestimated in public. And which still too often has no consequences whatsoever.