Armsmaker’s sponsorship of soccer club BVB shows new reality, says German minister

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BERLIN (Reuters) – German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Wednesday that armsmaker Rheinmetall’s sponsorship of soccer club Borussia Dortmund (BVB) was an unusual move which “shows where we stand”.

Ignoring the arms industry is no longer tenable in Germany due to the new reality, Habeck, also vice-chancellor, said after a government meeting.

“We know and unfortunately have to admit that we are in a different, more threatening world,” he said.

Rheinmetall’s logo will replace that of telecom provider 1&1 as the armsmaker entered a three-year multi-million sponsorship agreement with BVB on Tuesday.

Borussia Dortmund is an eight-time German league champion who is due to face off against Spain’s Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Finals on Saturday.

Rheinmetall is Germany’s largest defence firm and an important supplier of military gear and shells to Ukraine, whose market share has quadrupled since Russia invaded the country in 2022.