TOn Thursday, the United Kingdom government released a statement saying that the assets of seven Russian oligarchs have been frozen. It includes Roman Abramovichwho is still the owner Chelsea despite his plans to sell the club.
Other affected oligarchs Igor Sechin, Oleg Deripaska, Andrey Kostin, Alexey Miller, Nikolai Tokarev as well as Dmitry Lebedevbut Abramovich is best known for owning Chelsea.
“There can be no shelter for those who supported Insertbrutal attack on Ukraine. Boris JohnsonThis was stated by the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
“Today’s sanctions are the latest step in Britain’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. We will relentlessly pursue those who facilitate the killing of civilians, the destruction of hospitals and the illegal occupation of sovereign allies.”
Abramovich’s assets frozen ahead of Chelsea sale
Anticipating such a sanction, Abramovich tried to sell the club. Last week, he announced that he would listen to offers, but there was not enough time to sell the team, even if the first official applications are expected this week.
Consequently, Chelsea may be affected by this freeze decision Abramovichassets.
Nadine Dorriswho is the UK Secretary of State for Sport, released her own statement to try to calm the Chelsea supporters.
“Today’s sanctions obviously have a direct impact on Chelsea and his fans,” she said.
“We are working hard to ensure that the club and the national game are not affected by these important sanctions.
“To ensure that the club can continue to compete and operate, we are issuing a special license that will allow us to play matches, pay staff and existing ticket holders to attend matches, and most importantly, deny Abramovich benefit from the fact that he owns the club.
“I know this introduces some uncertainty, but the government will work with the league and the clubs to keep football playing and the sanctions are on target.
“Football clubs are a cultural asset and the backbone of our communities. We are committed to protecting them.”