By Ben Kerrigan-
Roman Abramovich had said he would give the proceeds of selling Chelsea to war victims. The Russian oligarch said he would not ask for any loans to be repaid and that he would give “stewardship and care” of Chelsea to its foundation trustees following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich, 55, is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a claim which he strongly denies. The legitimacy of Abromavich’s fortune has always been questionable, though he has always denied having any direct links with Putin.
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However, the pressure from Mps, including Labour leader Keir Starmer, calling for Abromavich to be sanctioned, has driven the Chelsea boss to sell the club. The Russian billionaire also said he would wave £1.5bn owed to him in loans. The announcement was a way for the Russian oligarch to limit the pressure against himself by volunteering to effectively step down himself, and be seen to demonstrate some empathy for victims of war by making the considerate offer.
Considerate as the offer is, Abromavich’s failure to explicitly condemn Russia’s invasion has raised suspicion that he has some affiliation with the Russian leader. On the other hand, the threat posed to any Russians who speak out openly against a despotic leader like Putin is another matter entirely.
In his statement, Abramovich said: “I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart.
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“In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the club, the fans, the employees, as well as the club’s sponsors and partners.
“The sale of the club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid.
“I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine.”
The legitimacy of Abromavich’s fortune has always been questionable, though he has always denied having any direct links with Putin.
Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for £140m, and in his statement said it had “never been about business nor money, but about pure passion for the game and club”.
Under his ownership, the club have won every major trophy possible – including the Champions League twice, both the Premier League and FA Cup five times, the Europa League twice and the League Cup three times.
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