Britain has imposed sanctions on Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and other Russian oligarchs. This was announced by the British government on Thursday. Consequently, Abramovich’s assets were frozen, transactions with British individuals and companies are prohibited for him. He was also placed under a travel and transportation ban.
Britain is reacting to the Russian war of aggression in the Ukraine. “There should be no safe havens for those who supported Putin’s vicious attack on Ukraine,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. Abramovich is said to be close to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, which he denies.
According to British media reports, the sanctions also affect the planned sale of Chelsea FC. Abramovich recently announced that he wanted to sell the club after almost 20 years. The step was a reaction to the demand for sanctions against him, which now come into force and make the sale impossible for the time being.
Because, as Britain’s Sports Minister Nadine Dorries said on Twitter on Thursday, the sanctions are aimed at preventing Abramovich from benefiting financially from his role as club owner. A sale of the association is currently excluded. According to Dorries, the British government’s move will also “have a direct impact on Chelsea and its fans.” A special license is intended to ensure that gaming operations can continue and that employee salaries can be paid.
However, hardly any spending should be allowed beyond that. According to “The Times” journalist Martyn Ziegler, transfers are prohibited, as well as the conclusion of contracts, the sale of merchandise or tickets. This means that only season ticket holders and fans who purchased tickets before the sanctions went into effect will be able to enter the stadium for upcoming games.
Under Abramowitsch’s stewardship, the Blues, who are currently being coached by German football coach Thomas Tuchel, experienced the most successful period in their club’s history, winning all kinds of national and international titles, most recently the Liga de Champions and the Club World Cup. The Russian oligarch invested more than a billion euros in the traditional London club. (dpa/teaspoon)
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