Schalke, the second division club in Germany, announced this Monday the termination of the contract with Gazprom. The Russian energy company was its main sponsor and the decision was made after the events that took place in Ukraine.
“The board of directors of FC Schalke 04, with the approval of the supervisory board, has decided to terminate the contract with Gazprom before its conclusion,” the club announced on its website.
The board had already decided last week to remove Gazprom’s name from the kit for the Bundesliga match played on Saturday, two days after the Russian attack.
The sponsorship that linked the club and the company would continue until 2025 and should yield 9 million euros (R$ 52 million) a year to Schalke.
The club was relegated last year to the second division and, in the event of a return to the Bundesliga, the contract provided for an increase in sponsorship of up to 15 million euros (R$ 86.7 million) per season.
“The club’s financial capacity will not be affected by this decision,” says Schalke. “The club’s management is confident that it will be able to find a new sponsor soon.”
Over the weekend, Schalke’s neighboring club Borussia Dortmund chairman Hans-Joaquim Watzke hinted that he could provide financial aid in the event of a breach of contract with Gazprom.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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