Boateng pulls out of Bayern coaching internship after fan protests

Retired defender Jérôme Boateng withdrew on Saturday from a planned coaching internship at Bayern Munich after supporters protested his proposed return to the club following a Munich court verdict last year that found him guilty of causing bodily harm to his former partner. The decision came after a series of fan demonstrations and an online petition opposing his presence at the club, Bayern and Boateng said.

In a brief statement on social media addressed to Bayern and head coach Vincent Kompany, Boateng said he had decided to "focus on my issues such as the A training license" and did not want to be a distraction to the team. "Your focus should be solely on the pitch and on extending this 13‑match winning run," he wrote, referencing Bayern's recent sequence of victories. Bayern issued a statement saying that "in a constructive exchange" with Boateng it was decided he would not visit the club to observe training and that Boateng felt a strong connection to the club and did not want it to suffer reputational harm amid the controversy.

Supporters voiced their opposition immediately after reports surfaced that Kompany, a former teammate of Boateng's at Manchester City, had planned...