The German Football Association had given the country’s former Chancellor an ultimatum to leave his positions in ‘Russian state-owned companies’
Germany’s former Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, has been removed from his role as an honorary member of the German Football Association (DFB) because bosses said he had failed to “position himself clearly” on Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Schroeder, who served as Social Democrat chancellor between 1998 and 2005, is said to be on the board of Russian oil company Rosneft and the chairman of the shareholders’ committee of the company in charge of building the abandoned Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
One report also claimed that the 77-year-old held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin after flying to Moscow this week.
DFB Vice-Presidents Rainer Koch and Hans-Joachim Watzke issued a joint statement accusing Russia of violating international law and saying that Schroeder’s alleged failure to distance himself from the assault meant he does not “share the values of football”.
Ahead of a vote on a new president, the German FA (DFB) has voted unanimously to withdraw former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder's honorary membership due to his links to Vladimir Putin.#DFBBundestag #Ukraine https://t.co/7Jf5FV7TS0
— Matt Ford (@matt_4d) March 11, 2022
“Even after his honorary membership has been revoked, we continue to expect from the former Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, that he uses his influence and works to the best of his ability for peace in Ukraine,” they added.
