Berlin (dpa) – Gerhard Schröder’s connections to Russia and to President Vladimir Putin are increasingly pushing the former chancellor to the sidelines in the football world.
Borussia Dortmund withdrew the 77-year-old’s honorary membership and reacted to Schröder’s unwillingness to resign from his management positions in state-owned Russian energy companies as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the parent club of his home club Hannover 96 is threatening to throw Schröder out because of his ties to Russia.
“The president of the club, Dr. Reinhard Rauball, informed the former Federal Chancellor in a personal meeting this morning about a corresponding unanimous Executive Committee decision,” said BVB.
Longtime friend of Putin
The former chancellor is considered a longtime friend of Putin. Schröder is the head of the supervisory board at the Russian state energy company Rosneft and also has management positions in the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipeline projects. Last Thursday, he called on the government in Moscow on the online network LinkedIn to end the war in Ukraine. But there was no talk of personal consequences. That brings him a lot of criticism from all sides, now BVB also reacted.
The day before, the German Football Association (DFB) called on Schröder, as an honorary member of the association, to give up his “functions in Russian state-owned companies” or to give up his honorary membership in the DFB.
Child: “Mr. Schröder may continue to attend games”
“We will now check to what extent Mr. Schröder may have violated the interests of the association,” said a senior employee of the Hanover Sports Association from 1896. Schröder was sent a letter asking for a statement. First the “image” had reported this.
96 boss Martin Kind had previously claimed that Schröder was not a member of 96 and bought his tickets as a regular customer. “We are a constitutional state with a democracy and of course we have to observe the legal norms. Mr. Schröder can continue to attend games, we do not forbid him entry.” The background to the contradictory statements is probably the special division at Hannover 96 into a parent association that acts as a non-profit organization and the spun-off corporation headed by Martin Kind as managing director.
After the discussions about Schröder and his close relationship with Russia, second division football club Hannover 96 does not want to ban its well-known fan from playing. “He has a box with some friends, which he can of course continue to use because he pays for his places within this team. Gerhard Schröder is not an issue for us right now,” said 96 boss Kind at “sport1.de”.