United Kingdom: Roman Abramovich targeted by sanctions, the sale of Chelsea suspended
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich watches the Premier League match against Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge on August 17, 2008 AFP/Archives
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2 mins
Two days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky implored the UK parliament to pass more measures, the UK announced sanctions against seven more Russian oligarchs, including the owner of Chelsea football club.
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With our correspondent in London,
Émeline Vin
Roman Abramovich had just put his Chelsea club, which he has cherished for almost 20 years, up for sale.
But the latter is now frozen.
The owner of the Premier League club (1st English division) for twenty years, close to Vladimir Putin, is among seven rich and influential Russians close to the Kremlin targeted Thursday by the British government.
In retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Roman Abramovich, who is also a shareholder in Russian steel companies which, according to London, may have manufactured the tanks deployed in Ukraine, is now subject to a freezing of his assets, a ban on transactions with British individuals and businesses and a travel ban.
►
To read also: Why the Russian oligarchs embarrass Boris Johnson
Chelsea, indirect victim of sanctions
Direct consequences for the club: closure of the ticket office and the derivatives shop, but also the impossibility of buying or selling players.
However, Chelsea are granted a "special license", so that the staff of the London club can continue to receive a salary.
Blues
supporters
will be able to attend the matches, if they have already purchased their ticket, but the club's expenses will be regulated: no more than 20,000 pounds (around 24,000 euros) per trip and per team.
The reigning Champions League winner has said he wants to ask the British government to change the license so that the club can "
operate as normally as possible
".
This license does not authorize the sale of the club, but the government will be able to examine a request to this effect on one condition: "
In no case Roman Abramovich could profit from this sale
", declared a government spokesperson.
The executive remains "
open to selling the club, but that would require another license and discussions with the Treasury and other ministries
", he added.
Before deciding to sell, Roman Abramovich had tried to save what could be saved by entrusting the day-to-day management of the club to the six directors of his charitable foundation at the end of February.
He also promised that the "
net proceeds
" of the sale would be donated to a foundation for the benefit of "
all the victims of the war in Ukraine
".
►
To read also: Roman Abramovich cedes control of Chelsea
The British Minister of Culture claims to want to protect the club.
Fan organizations are calling on him to minimize uncertainty as much as possible, so that the club does not suffer from sanctions.
But its effects are already being felt.
The mobile phone operator Three has meanwhile announced the suspension of its partnership with the club, to which it has notably requested the removal "
until further notice
" of its logo from the jerseys of the players and the surroundings of the stadium.
With Roman Abramovich's investments, Chelsea won all the major trophies in England and Europe.
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