Roman Abramovich facing sanctions as UK adds Chelsea owner to Putin oligarchs hit list
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been added to the UK’s sanctions list, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said.
She said Vladimir Putin’s attacks on Ukraine involved “new levels of evil by the hour” and the Government had announced further sanctions “against individuals linked to the Russian Government”.
“This list includes Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club,” she said.
She acknowledged this would have an impact on the premiership side but a special licence would enable it to continue operating.
Dorries said on Twitter: “Our priority is to hold those who have enabled the Putin regime to account.”
“Today’s sanctions obviously have a direct impact on Chlesea & its fans. We have been working hard to ensure the club & the national game are not unnecessarily harmed by these important sanctions.
“To ensure the club can continue to compete and operate we are issuing a special licence that will allow fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches while, crucially, depriving Abramovich of benefiting from his ownership of the club.
“I know this brings some uncertainty, but the Government will work with the league & clubs to keep football being played while ensuring sanctions hit those intended. Football clubs are cultural assets and the bedrock of our communities. We’re committed to protecting them.”