"The Gazprom contract should be respected, not cancelled" (Clemens Tönnies, Schalke 04)

"The contract with Gazprom should be respected -- this partnership should not be cancelled," Clemens Tönnies, President of Schalke 04 (Bundesliga) told the German business daily Handelsblatt on 22/04/2014.

The Russian energy supplier is the shirt sponsor of the club for the 2006-07 season. The contract provides Schalke 04 with €15m per year through 2016-17. Many club supporters have been complaining to club leaders about the agreement with the Russian state-owned company since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine. "We must remain calm because we are athletes, not politicians. Politics is not our field," said the president of Schalke 04.

Clemens Tonnies is also criticised because of his plans to invest €600m in Russia via the Mühlen Gruppe, which he owns, and which specialises in the production of meat. The club president also confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin invited the team and its leaders to come to Russia.

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