Schalke 04 remove Russian state-owned sponsor Gazprom’s name from their shirts after Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine 

One of Germany’s biggest football teams, Schalke 04 have removed the name of Russian sponsors Gazprom from their shirts after Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on Thursday February 24.

Energy company Gazprom are majority-owned by the Russian state and are major sponsors of the Champions League as well as of Schalke.

Key to the connection between Schalke and Gazprom has been Nord Stream 2 CEO Matthias Warnig, a former officer in East Germany and a known ally of Putin’s. He has been forced to resign from his position on Schalke’s board earlier on Thursday. 

A club statement read: ‘Following recent developments, FC Schalke 04 have decided to remove the logo of main sponsor GAZPROM from the club’s shirts. It will be replaced by lettering reading ‘Schalke 04′ instead.’ 

Warnig and Nord Stream 2, a subsidiary of Gazprom, are also facing US sanctions for Russia’s involvement in Ukraine. 

The $11billion Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which runs from near St Petersburg to Germany under the Baltic Sea and was set to double the natural gas sent by Russia to Germany, has seen the start of its operation suspended following events in Ukraine this week.

The pipeline had been awaiting the approval of the German government, which has now suspended the decision in line with international sanctions against Nord Stream 2 and Warnig. 

Schalke were relegated from Germany’s top flight last year but are one of the best-supported clubs in the country, boasting a 62,000-seater stadium in Gelsenkirchen in the north-west. They have won the Bundesliga seven times but not since 1958.