Muristek
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (centre) displays his certificate of DFB honorary membership as then German Football Federation president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder (right) and its executive president Theo Zwanziger look on in Leipzig, eastern Germany, December 9, 2005. — AFP pic
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BERLIN, March 11 — The German Football Association (DFB) today joined Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund in cancelling the honorary membership of Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder over his links to Russia.
“Russia’s attack on Ukraine is contrary to international law and therefore incompatible with our values,” said DFB interim president Rainer Koch.
“Unfortunately, Gerhard Schroeder has not complied with the numerous requests to take a clear stand against this war.”
Schroeder, Germany’s chancellor from 1998 to 2005, has come under fire over his refusal to resign from senior roles with Russian energy companies Rosneft and Gazprom.
The German FA had previously issued Schroeder with an ultimatum to either resign from those positions or give up his DFB membership.
Dortmund last week similarly withdrew Schroeder’s honorary membership in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Schroeder reportedly met Vladimir Putin yesterday in Moscow in a bid to get the Russian leader to end the military action. — AFP