After Abramovich, Monaco President Rybolovlev under the spotlight
Between today's French Cup semi-final against Nantes and a trip to Marseille in the league, Monaco is living a sporting week with distinction, but the war between Russia and Ukraine cast a shadow over the principality club and put its reticent Russian president, billionaire Dmitriy Rybolovlev under the microscope of lights, but away from the sanctions guillotine.
Rybolovlev, the main shareholder and president of Monaco, has been based in the principality for more than 10 years, while his last public appearance dates back to February 23rd away from the world of football, far from Russia, in Antigua in the Caribbean.
The Russian billionaire left his homeland in 2010 after he was forced to sell his stake in Uralkali, the global potash giant of which he was the largest shareholder, to close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Despite Rybolovlev's policy of staying away from senior Russian officials, this did not satisfy him, as his name appeared in the "Putin Accountability Act", a bill by the US Congress that lists Russian citizens whose assets are likely to be frozen.
This amateur art billionaire, whose fortune is estimated at six billion euros, is also facing a problem with the justice system in Monaco against the background of being accused of "active corruption", "commercial exploitation" and "unlawful appropriation of interests", due to a dispute with a Swiss art dealer. .
He is also accused of abusing his good relations with the emirate's officials.
Rybolovlev, who had long hoped to obtain the citizenship of the Principality of Monaco, contented himself with a Cypriot passport.
But at a time when sanctions are pouring in on Russian sports and athletes, the president of Monaco, who plays in the ranks of one of the pillars of the Russian national team, Alexander Golovin, does not appear to be a target.
His compatriot Oleg Petrov also holds the post of vice president.
No penalties yet!
In contact with AFP, the French Professional Football League announced that no individual punitive measures were planned against Russian or Belarusian players who play in the first and second divisions, nor against Monaco.
But the association has made it clear that it will favor any decisions made by the national associations.
In the same context, Nice coach Christophe Galtier, who qualified for the local cup final on Monday, said, "There is no problem to move and play in Monaco. As much as we have to support the Ukrainians, especially football players and coaches, we cannot blame anyone with Russian citizenship." .
In addition to Rybolovlev, another Russian businessman plays a major role in the sporting scene in the Principality, Alexei Fedoraxev, head of the distribution and trading company Fedcom and the new president of the Monaco Basketball Club, which is involved in the European League "Euroleague".
He also holds Hungarian citizenship.
But so far, it is clear that Rybolovlev and Fedorixev are not targeted by EU sanctions, while Prince Albert of Monaco was present, with his sons, in Monaco's recent basketball victory over Fenerbahce of Turkey.
Fedorixev was on their side, as was the club's vice-president, Sergei Diadeshko.
Prince Albert was also present on Sunday at Stade Louis II during Monaco's 1-2 defeat to Rennes in the twenty-sixth round of the league, accompanied by Vice President-General Manager Oleg Petrov and Rybolovlev's daughter, Ekaterina Rybolovleva, and her Uruguayan husband Juan Sartori, also Vice President.
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