The United Kingdom has added Russian oligarch and Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich to its list of sanctioned individuals as a response to Russia’s special military interventions against Ukraine. According to the reports, Roman Abramovich’s efforts to sell his football club Chelsea are in doubt after the UK government sanctioned the Russian oligarch and froze his assents in the country.
Abramovich’s UK assets, including Chelsea FC, have been frozen by the Boris Johnson-led government after Putin ordered his troops to launch military operations in Ukraine. In a document published by the British government, Roman Abramovich is identified as “a pro-Kremlin oligarch” and was said to be “associated with a person who is or has been involved in destabilising Ukraine and undermining and threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, namely Vladimir Putin, with whom Abramovich has had a close relationship for decades.”
The UK government has claimed that Abramovich has had a close relationship with Putin “for decades” and that the association has benefited him financially.
“This association has included obtaining a financial benefit or other material benefit from Putin and the Government of Russia. This includes tax breaks received by companies linked to Abramovich, buying and selling shares from and to the state at favourable rates, and the contracts received in the run-up to the 2018 World Cup. Therefore, Abramovich has received preferential treatment and concessions from Putin and the government of Russia,” the British government claimed.
According to the reports, the government has granted Chelsea a special license to continue fulfilling its fixtures and carrying out the football business, including paying players and club staff. However, certain actions such as buying and selling new players will not be permitted, in addition to selling tickets for games beyond those already sold to fans.
Apart from inability to sign new players, the team also can’t renew agreements with existing players. This has created a massive uncertainty among the team’s players about their future.
As per the new regulations, the existing season ticket holders will be allowed to attend matches and fans who purchased tickets before Thursday. In addition, fans can buy food and drink at these matches, and third party retailers who bought or produced club merchandise before Thursday will be allowed to sell their existing stocks as long as no money is given to Chelsea. However, broadcast and prize money from the allowed matches will be frozen by the govt.
Meanwhile, Abramovich has rejected allegations that he is linked to Putin or the Russian state or that he has done anything to merit being sanctioned.
With the sanctions, Abramovich’s plans to sell Chelsea or invest in the club might not go through. The 55-year-old had put the club up for sale last week.
