Schalke to remove Gazprom sponsorship from club shirts

Schalke have confirmed they will not feature the Gazprom sponsorship on their official shirts

German side Schalke 04 have confirmed that they will remove the Russian-state owned sponsorship Gazprom from their match shirts with immediate effect. The decision has been made in relation to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine which saw Russian president Vladimir Putin launch a full-scale invasion on Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning. In a tweet on Schalke's official account, the Bundesliga. 2 side announced that they would replace the Gazprom sponsorship with the name of the club instead. https://twitter.com/s04_en/status/1496844095225937924 It read: "Following recent developments, FC Schalke 04 have decided to remove the logo of main sponsor GAZPROM from the club's shirts. It will be replaced by lettering reading ‘Schalke 04’ instead." Schalke have been partnered with Gazprom since 2008 with the Russian energy company heavily featuring on the club's kits over the years but following the escalation of events in Ukraine, they will no longer work with the German club. Gazprom have a heavy influence in European football and are one of the primary sponsors for UEFA, with their branding often seen advertised on boards around Champions League stadiums as well as regularly featuring on commercial break advertisements. As of yet, UEFA have yet to confirm if they will continue their sponsorship deal with the Russian-state business but as reported by the Associated Press, they have chosen to strip Russia of this year's Champions League final, which was due to be held in St. Petersburg at the Gazprom Arena. It remains unclear as to which will venue will now host the final, due to be played on May 28, with an announcement expected after the second legs of the semi-finals of the Champions League which take place on May 3-4. Wembley Stadium, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and West Ham United's London Stadium have all been touted as possible hosts. Related links:

• Sebastian Vettel says he won’t race in Russia after invasion of Ukraine
• Champions League final moved from Russia following Ukraine invasion
• Terrifying videos show missiles raining down on Ukrainian cities