Former FC Bayern star Jérôme Boateng was sentenced to a hefty fine on Wednesday: he must pay 10,000 euros in 120 daily rates, making a total of 1.2 million euros.

For a professional footballer of this class, this should not pose a direct threat to the player’s existence, but the damage to his image is a rat’s tail, which the veteran of Olympique Lyon must first learn to live with. RTL asked media expert Hans Christian Biedermann what this means for Boateng’s career.

Jérôme Boateng has a criminal record for grievous bodily harm, it was revealed on 2 November. After the end of the appeal process at the Munich District Court. The court considered it proven that the 34-year-old man had hit and insulted his partner and the mother of his eleven-year-old twins while on vacation in the Caribbean in 2018. “Of course, the verdict is a strong blow for Boateng, his image and market value are currently very affected,” Hans Christian Biedermann tells RTL.

The media expert is familiar with content marketing and consults with celebrities. In Jérôme’s eyes, the process was not good even before the conviction: “Here, legal disputes involving celebrities are often decided in advance, even if the facts of the case have not yet been legally processed and clarified to some extent. “

Income level was disclosed

But now that has changed. When the first conviction, which the footballer is now appealing, was announced in September last year, there was talk in French circles that his club Olympique Lyonnais feared the process would damage their image. During the appeal process, Jérôme had to disclose his income situation. He earns 240,000 euros per month – net – from the club alone.

On the other hand, there is now a penalty he must pay. “A fine of this size affects a lot of people who earn a lot in the sports sector,” says a media expert. “However, this does not endanger Boateng’s existence. But something else can lead to it.

The 34-year-old lawyer had already stated in court that his client’s income situation had changed. His defender had announced that the former world champion now lives only on the income of Lyon. Advertising partners dropped out. Hamburger Abendblatt reported in the summer that optics brand Edel-Optics had ended its partnership with the kicker “amicably,” possibly due to the chain’s strained financial situation.

“It would be much worse if a large part of the supporters turned away from him. This could lead to an existential crisis,” suspects Hans Christian Biedermann. According to the expert, in order to weaken public opinion, it is better not to apply again – but he and his team would have a week to do so.

How could this go on

“Fortunately, the public forgets quite quickly,” continued the expert: “From 2023. spring, I would put myself in Boateng’s place with the help of a public relations specialist or an image consultant, as part of the so-called “targeted campaigns” pro bono. [also zum Wohle der Allgemeinheit; Anm.d.Red.] get involved in one or another club of your choice.” In this way, Jérôme could try to move his image “back towards positive values”.

Even his own cousin, footballer Kevin-Prince Boateng, publicly distanced himself from Jérôme after the first conviction.

Vincent Nelessen