Just before the “Year of Women”, the World Chess Federation advertises breast augmentation in women's tournaments. Other associations and clubs also caused an uproar with the choice of sponsors.
It was a “milestone” in a sponsorship agreement, the International Chess Federation FIDE announced a few days ago when it introduced its new partner specifically for women's tournaments. But the players weren't as enthusiastic as the world federation. Because the new sponsor is the breast implant manufacturer Establishment Labs.
Once women had fought for the right to take part in chess competitions, the years after that the fight was mainly due to prejudices (“smaller brains”, “incapable of logical thinking”) and the reduction to appearance.
Women are allowed to play in the men's league, but there are also special competitions for women only. The partnership with Establishment Labs has now been concluded for them – just before the “Year of Women” proclaimed by FIDE. “I find it degrading and degrading that something as cognitive as chess is sponsored by a company that mainly benefits from the insecurity of women,” one chess player told the Guardian .
The deal is the largest corporate sponsorship ever signed specifically for women in chess, according to FIDE. The contract was discussed internally in two bodies in which women were represented more strongly than in the chess community as a whole. “We want to change the view that women make decisions out of uncertainty, but out of maturity and self-love,” the company said. “We are disappointed with any comment that suggests otherwise.”
The anonymous chess player interviewed by the Guardian takes a critical view of this and “strongly doubts” that FIDE would “win a penis enlargement company to sponsor the men's world championship”.
Sperm
But even male sex organs have already made it into rich sponsorship contracts. The dress of TSV Hartberg goalkeeper René Swete is adorned with the words “Sperm Booster” in capital letters. The pharmaceutical company of club president Brigitte Annerl supports the soccer club with the product “Profertil” against male infertility.
HOME KIT 21/22 💙🤍 # forzatsv #nevergiveup pic.twitter.com/bK5RZzymO9
– TSV Hartberg football (@tsv_hartberg) July 3, 2021
Sex articles
Less medical, but more dedicated to the pastime and togetherness, was once the sponsor of the Viennese sports club in the 1990s. But when the club was chased through the press because of the potential support from the adult goods chain Beate Uhse, they were let go. And tried to let other sponsors get him going.
Condoms
But that wasn't the first time that people tried to combine the two “most beautiful things” in the world. For 1989, the German Bundesliga club FC Homburg tore up a sponsor at the last minute that the DFB did not like. “London”, a condom brand, should help keep up the league. But the DFB was prudish and banned advertising on the dresses in the meantime, referring to morality and decency.
Controversial sponsors – London Condoms on FC Homburg
Bayern needed more protection when they lost to them in the 1991 DFB Pokal 1st round pic.twitter.com/bTKSdiI03e
– Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) September 20, 2016
Contact magazines
Franzi Kuncic jun. exhibit. The kart driver advertised the erotic contact magazine “Kore” on his chest in the nineties. But Franzi was only ten years young at the time. So it happened that a cardboard cutout from Franzi Kuncic jun. was set up at erotic fairs. “We are happy that he has a sponsor,” his father told the KURIER at the time. Back then, a kart cost 300,000 schillings (22,000 euros) a year. “We couldn't afford to say no.”
The motorcyclist Andreas Preining also advertised the contact magazine “ÖKM” for years. By then, however, he was already an adult. Several times he was seen posing next to Dolly Buster, the wonder of the breasts – of course little Franzi didn't have to.
Brothels
The connection between sport and sex has existed for decades. An ice hockey team from Steyr was once sponsored by a brothel. Several sports clubs came up with the idea. It should be a win-win situation.
