As the media around the world describe the Russian aggression against Ukraine, at the same time the advertising of the Russian energy tycoon catches the eye in the stadiums. Anyway, not from today and not only here. After almost 10 years of sponsoring the Champions League and becoming a FIFA partner for the 2018 World Cup, Gazprom also became a Euro partner (until 2024) and sponsor of the Nations League finals (until 2023) before the holidays. – It’s a large-scale deal. It gives us the opportunity to implement social initiatives, announced Alexei Miller, head of Gazprom. Hundreds of millions for social initiatives? From the gas company? They must be extremely important – one would like to add bitterly.
“We violate Western values and try to look good at the same time”
All the more, Gazprom for Europe is not a company that evokes positive associations. Recently, mainly due to the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Russia has also had tense relations with the West for years, the highlight of which is now a renewed attack on Ukraine. – Closer cooperation with the authorities of European football was to show that we are a normal, cool country – says Yevgenij Gontmacher, doctor of economic sciences and professor at the Moscow School of Economics. – I think that Gazprom is doing it in agreement with, the more so as it involves large sums. Putin is a close friend of Alexei Miller. The gentlemen know each other from St. Petersburg – he adds.
Gontmacher knows that Russia has two faces. – On the one hand, we are trying to build good relations with Europe and UEFA authorities, and on the other, the Russian authorities are detaining the oppositionist Alexei Navalny and annexing Crimea. We are violating the values important to the West, but we try to look good at the same time, she concludes.
Mikhail Krutikchin, an expert on energy and energy policy in Russia and consultant for RusEnergy, believes that. He calls this cooperation “a mild form of corruption.” In his opinion, in exchange for sponsorship, Europe provided services to Russia – even if it did not interfere with the construction of Nord Stream 2. – It happened in Germany, Serbia and almost succeeded in Bulgaria (through it Russia tried to lay the South Stream – ed.). There is no other point in supporting foreign clubs by Russian state-owned companies, explained Krutikchin.
It is worth noting that Gazprom is the main sponsor of the German Schalke 04. It is Germany where Nord Stream 2 is brought. Before the summer holidays, Gazprom extended the existing contract with the club from Gelsenkirchen, despite the fact that it was relegated from the Bundesliga. The current one-year contract has been estimated at EUR 100 million. The Russians are also the sponsor of the women’s volleyball team from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schweriner SC. This is a team that was the champion in 2018, and a year later the vice-champion of the country. The Russian tycoon is also sponsoring Serb Crvena Zvezda Belgrade, and the Nord Stream 2 subsidiary, AG, has become one of the main sponsors of the Handball Champions League. Interestingly,
“We call for an end to cooperation with Gazprom”
After Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist republics in Donbass and signed treaties of friendship and military cooperation with their leaders, the climate around Russia deteriorated even more. In a situation in which Russia is attacking Ukraine again, even the fans who avoid politics are stung by the ubiquitous advertising of Gazprom during the Champions League matches.
“Abramovich will sit in a box, listen to the Champions League anthem and see the» Road to Saint Petersburg «carpet. And Gazprom on the bands,” wrote one user, referring to the Russian owner of Chelsea. “The sanctions against Russia should be severe and visible. As long as Gazprom sponsors the Champions League for billions, Aeroflot will fly around the world, and Russian athletes will take part in international sports competitions – Putin will laugh in the face of the West,” added another.
Some MEPs also thought that the world of football should finally stamp its foot and stop eating Russia from its hand. They wrote a letter to the head of UEFA, Alexander Ceferin. In it, they dealt with the final of the Champions League, which is to be held in Saint Petersburg on May 28 at the Gazprom Arena.
“We urge you to stop considering Saint Petersburg and let the first important step be to choose an alternative country to organize the final,” they wrote. The deputies also referred to the close relationship between UEFA and Gazprom.
“We are calling for the convening of an extraordinary Executive Committee and an end to cooperation with Gazprom as the sponsor of the football federation, and to consider sanctions against people related to violations of international law,” we read. The deputies also added – probably referring to UEFA’s announcements – that the time of clichés about “careful monitoring of the situation” has passed. “UEFA must react and cannot continue to make the football scene available to legitimize the regime’s actions,” he added.
How UEFA loves Russia
In recent years – just when Russian rubles began to flow into UEFA – the football scene was made available to the Russians with a broad gesture. The Russians organized the Confederation Cup 2017, World Cup 2018 and Euro 2020 matches at home. Now, after just over a decade, they have the Champions League final again.
It is worth noting that the host or one of the hosts of the above events has always been Saint Petersburg (and Gazprom Arena) – the city that is the headquarters of the fuel company. Euro 2020 was awarded to Russia (as one of the 10 organizing countries), even though a few years ago one of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) committees called for a ban on “major sporting events” in Russia as part of the package. However, the euro was considered to be “a regional one sport event” and there were no problems. Aleksander Ceferin then went to the meeting with Vladimir Putin and thanking for the beautiful World Cup, he assured that he was looking forward to the next matches here.
You can read more about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine at
When talking about UEFA’s love or – if you prefer – UEFA’s favor for Russia, it is worth mentioning how much this love is worth. Information appears in the eastern media that the annual sponsorship of the Champions League is currently expected to cost Gazprom 400 million euros. There are also other events (Euro, WC, or LE). So the total amount pumped by Gazprom for football seems enormous, although of course it depends what the Russians achieve thanks to it.
Access to politicians, i.e. Russians in salons
Experts emphasize one more thing about the benefits that Gazprom can gain from being a benefactor of European football – entering political salons.
“The club’s sponsorship can provide Gazprom with public support abroad in concluding trade deals, as well as access to politicians,” explains Simon Chadwick of Coventry University in the UK. – Instead of crossing the normal diplomatic channels, it was enough for Gazprom to sign an agreement with the Champions League and its bosses entered as guests of honor at the Milan stadium owned by the Italian prime minister – describes Chadwick.
Building brand awareness in Europe is also of business importance. Gazprom is not a monopoly on the Old Continent, although of course it supplies a lot of fuel here. In 2021, it was 30-32 percent. of how much Europe consumes. However, a downward trend has been visible for some time.
The countries of the Community have started to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) more strongly, the import of which has just become record-high. Everyone is looking for an alternative to become independent from Russia. France has its own liquefied natural gas as well as Norwegian gas from the North Sea and gas from Algeria. Europe uses American liquefied petroleum gas and gas from Qatar.
The authorities of European countries have so far been guided mainly by commercial considerations, leaving politics aside. However, this is already changing, the more so as Gazprom is about to end a lot of contracts in this part of the world. – Europe may stop buying our gas and use more expensive suppliers. This has already been done with Iranian oil – Gontmacher reminded in Sports.ru, referring to the fuel embargo imposed on this country by the European Union.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
