Football in East Germany was also a contested sphere. Many political leaders took a keen interest in football and used their connections and resources to promote their favorite team and boost the prestige of their region or organization. Teams had been relocated and renamed, and players were delegated from one team to another, in accordance with political criteria, or due to machinations of powerful political leaders or interest groups at regional or central level. FC Hansa Rostock was patronaged by the chairman of the FDGB and Politburo member Harry Tisch. SG Dynamo Dresden would be helped to remain a top club by long term SED First secretary in Bezirk Dresden Hans Modrow and the head of the Regional administration of the Stasi in Bezirk Dresden Horst Böhm. BFC Dynamo was considered the favorite club of the president of SV Dynamo and the head of the Stasi Erich Mielke.