Schalke urges Ukraine peace amid scrutiny of Gazprom sponsor

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — German soccer club Schalke has expressed “great concern” over Moscow’s intervention in Ukraine amid scrutiny of the team’s long-standing sponsorship by Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom. The second-division club says it “will monitor further developments, evaluate them and make a strong appeal for peace to protect those affected by the crisis.” Schalke was relegated from the Bundesliga last year and has had Gazprom as its main sponsor since 2007.  The team says Gazprom’s German subsidiary has been a “reliable partner” for 15 years while also being a gas supplier to Germany.