In 2019, Syria’s national football association awarded a lucrative marketing contract to a newly established Damascus company with no online presence or track record. The deal granted exclusive advertising and marketing rights for all domestic competitions, national teams, and international events, bypassing any competitive tender process.
The agreement, which included an unusually large 35-percent revenue share for the company, faced criticism from insiders who described the terms as detrimental to the association’s financial health. According to three individuals with direct knowledge of the negotiations, the contract was secured through behind-the-scenes influence wielded by individuals linked to a close family member of the former president’s brother.
Company records indicate the firm was majority-owned by an individual who is a relative by marriage to that brother. The former president of the association acknowledged receiving instructions from a military office, warning that refusal to comply would have severe consequences. Another official, who served as legal counsel at the time, stated that the association negotiated from a weak position, with the contract presented as a take-it-or-leave-it offer.
The 35-percent share was significantly higher than the standard rates in Syria, which typically range from three to ten percent. The company’s earnings from this arrangement for 2022 and 2023 were estimated at $240,550, while the association’s total income during a comparable period was less than $500,000.
The company’s former executive director denied any external pressure and defended the terms, citing commercial customs in Syria. The contract was eventually terminated in 2022 by a subsequent association president who deemed it unfair, though outstanding payments to the company were still acknowledged. The firm later filed a complaint to recover funds it claimed were due before it was dissolved the following year.
The arrangement came to light following the collapse of the previous regime in December 2023, which dismantled a patronage network involving military units in various sectors. The Fourth Armoured Division, led by the former president’s brother, had faced international sanctions for its kleptocratic activities. An army memo from 2023 also showed requests for funding to cover player and manager contracts, indicating further involvement in sports.