Schalke chairman quits after winless run and virus cases

By: The Associated Press Posted: 9:29 AM CDT Tuesday, Jun. 30, 2020

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany - Schalke chairman Clemens Tönnies stepped down Tuesday following unrest among fans because of the German soccer club's lengthy winless run and an outbreak of coronavirus at a slaughterhouse owned by his company.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/06/2020 (2265 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany – Schalke chairman Clemens Tönnies stepped down Tuesday following unrest among fans because of the German soccer club’s lengthy winless run and an outbreak of coronavirus at a slaughterhouse owned by his company.

Tönnies leaves after 26 years on the board of the Bundesliga club and 19 as chairman.

In a statement, Schalke and some of its board members praised Tönnies for his passion for the club and his role in developing the stadium and youth facilities. The statement did not say why Tönnies had chosen to step down.

Schalke's team warms up prior the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and VfL Wolfsburg in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, June 20, 2020. Because of the coronavirus outbreak all soccer matches of the German Bundesliga take place without spectators. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

A group of up to 1,500 Schalke fans formed a human chain to protest against club management ahead of the final game of the season on Saturday. That 4-0 loss to Freiburg marked Schalke’s 16th straight Bundesliga game without a win.

A coronavirus outbreak in and around a slaughterhouse operated by Tönnies’ family business led to German authorities imposing fresh lockdown measures on the local area last week.