German politicians are calling for a cross-party reaction from sport to Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine.
“If Russia willfully breaks international law, Russia will have to live with the consequences,” said Philipp Hartewig, sports policy spokesman for the FDP, to “SID”: “Sport is not apolitical.” The main focus is this year’s Champions League final in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Hartewig also sees the “responsibility” at the European Football Union (UEFA), which is currently continuing to hold the final on May 28 in the Russian metropolis. “If there is no de-escalation of the current situation,” UEFA must “find a new venue,” he said. “For sanctions against Russia to be effective, they must first and foremost hurt Russia.”
Sabine Poschmann, sports policy spokeswoman for the SPD, considers hosting the final in St. Petersburg “in view of this deliberate escalation of the situation” to be “unthinkable. UEFA is asked to move the final to another country,” she told “SID”. after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and sent Russian soldiers to the regions.
The Greens member of the Bundestag, Philip Kramer, also finds the holding of events in Russia “absolutely insane” according to the latest developments.
It was “then very perfidious” to organize “a sporting celebration with representatives of the Russian regime” at a Champions League final, while there was a war in Ukrainian areas “that was instigated by this Russian regime,” he said the deputy chairman of the sports committee of the Bundestag “SID”.