The European Handball Federation (EHF) has canceled all features of main Russian sponsor Delo in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The decision was made after pressure from the Norwegian Handball Federation, among others. Snakes miss an announcement from the EHF.
Nora Mork and Company. Play with the Delo logo on the left shoulder. The transportation and logistics giant is controlled by powerful Russian handball chief Sergei Shechargov (53). He is also the coach for the most part at UEFA Champions League club CSKA Moscow. Shishkarov is a close neighbor of Vladimir Putin’s so-called palace on the Black Sea.
EHF Communications Director Thomas Schöneich confirmed the decision in an email to VG:
“UEFA and its marketing company, EHF Marketing GmbH, have chosen – after internal evaluations and an information process with their partner – to play the remaining matches of the EHF Champions League Woman without the presence of the tournament partner, Delo Group.”
Thus, the tournament is no longer called “UEFA Women’s Champions League Delo EHF“, men”UEFA Women’s Champions League». The Russian sponsor has been removed from the suits, floor ads, LED board, cubes and all other advertising material related to the end of the UEFA Champions League. It begins with the playoffs for the quarter-finals next Saturday.
– We are happy with this, but we are missing a clear announcement from the EHF, Vipers coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad told VG. It is reported that the club received a “strict letter” to remove everything related to the main sponsor.
But the EHF has not yet announced the news on its website. VG asked about the background to this, but did not receive an answer.
– I hope there will also be a clear political statement about this from the EHF so that it is not removed in secret, says Gjekstad. Vipers play the quarter-finals against Crimea from Slovenia or Hungarian Ferencvaros on April 30 and May 7.
The Russian handball chief belongs to the United Russia party led by Vladimir Putin and sat in Parliament from 1999 to 2011. He also wrote several bills to the State Duma as a lawyer. Sergei Shishkarov has led the Handball Federation since 2015 and was awarded an honorary degree by Putin after the team won the women’s Olympic gold medal six years ago.
is according to handball planet For the richest man in handball.
Shishkarov led many Russian companies and almost 30 years ago started the Delo Transport and Logistics Company. According to Forbes magazine, the value of Russian handball in 2020 amounted to more than 600 billion kroner. Delo is the only sponsor whose name has been directly linked to one of the Six European Handball Cups.
The Norwegian Handball Federation has a decision by the board of directors that the Russian sponsor must leave after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
– This is something we think is very beautiful and something we have asked for. It is important that the sport interact both together and at the same time in relation to Russia now, head of handball Kåre Geir Lio tells VG.
He’s now worried that Delo will never be accepted as a sponsor again. The Russians have sponsored the tournament since 2019 and last summer signed a new agreement for this season.
We want this Agreement to be terminated and not paused. Lio says it’s important to us that there is no physical content in the agreement anymore.
EHF confirms that this was Delos’ last season as a UEFA Champions League sponsor.
– No additional seasons, EHF Communications Director writes in email to VG.
The Norwegian Handball Federation believes that it cannot be ignored that the logistics company can contribute to the Russian war machine.
– We know Shishkarjov is close to Putin and we know that Delo runs services that Putin depends on, Kåre Geir Lio previously told VG. He has met the Russians many times in international contexts.
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