Berlin (dpa) – According to Schalke’s CEO Bernd Schröder, the separation from the long-standing Russian main sponsor Gazprom was “without alternative” after Russia invaded Ukraine.
“Personally, it was clear to me: This can’t go on. The damage to the club had become too great,” said the head of the second division soccer team in an interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
“Could I imagine a situation where Gazprom would be on the chest again in six or eight weeks? No,” added Schröder. “What would have had to happen to legitimize that again? If Mr. Putin had suddenly mutated into an angel of peace? That really wasn’t and isn’t a realistic prospect.”
At the same time, he defended the controversial cooperation with the state-owned energy company from criticism. “I didn’t see the alliance as dirty,” emphasized Schröder, who has been head of the board since the beginning of the year. “Did it correspond 100 percent with Schalke’s values? Probably not. You have to say that so clearly. But was the Gazprom contract a horse that stood across the stable? Probably not either.”
Gazprom was a sponsor of Schalke for 15 years. After the Gelsenkircheners had already removed the company’s lettering from the jersey in the game at Karlsruher SC on Saturday last week, the club announced on Monday that the board of directors, with the approval of the supervisory board, had decided to end the partnership early due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine break up. For the time being, the association has found a new sponsor in the housing company Vivawest.