The German Football Federation (DFB) on Friday withdrew former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s honorary membership status due to his proximity to Vladimir Putin and major Russian groups.
“Russia’s attack on Ukraine is contrary to international law and therefore incompatible with our values,” Rainer Koch, interim president of the DFB, told German news agency SID, an AFP branch.
“Unfortunately, Gerhard Schröder did not agree with the numerous clear condemnation calls against this war” added the DFB leader, who had given Schröder an ultimatum to leave his posts or resign from his position in the DFB.
On Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund stripped the former chancellor of his honorary club membership for the same reasons.
At 77, Schröder does not hide his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is chairman of the board of directors of Rosneft, the first Russian oil group, and of the shareholder committee of Nord Stream 2, the controversial Russian-German gas pipeline.
At first, he is still expected to join the watchdog board of Russian gas giant Gazprom in June.
Unlike other former European leaders with ties to Russian groups, such as the French François Fillon or the Italian Matteo Renzi, Schröder has not presented his resignation from the positions he holds.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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