The United Kingdom has seized all assets of Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and also stopped the sale of the team.
The UK government has also placed very grave restriction on Chelsea FC so long as it remains a property of the Russian billionaire oligarch.
Abramovich is one of seven oligarchs hit with fresh sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans over Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Also affected are billionaires Igor Sechin and Oleg Deripaska, both seen as allies of Vladimir Putin.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “there can be no safe havens” for those who have supported the invasion.
“Today’s sanctions are the latest step in the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people.
“We will be ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies,” Johnson said.
Abramovich, 55, is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he has denied.
But the government believes Abramovich, who has an estimated net worth of £9.4 billion, is “one of the few oligarchs from the 1990s to maintain prominence under Putin”.
Under the sanctions, Chelsea will operate as a club with a special charity license, but it won’t be able to sell new tickets for games or sign new players.
Below is the list of restrictions on Chelsea FC and how they affect its fans and its operations:
- Chelsea FC sale temporarily halted as part of sanctions.
- Chelsea FC shop must close, no more match tickets can be sold.
- Fans who bought season tickets or individual match tickets before today can attend games.
- Club can fulfil fixtures and pay wages of all employees, including players and coaching staff.
- No new player sales or purchases will be permitted under the license, and discussions on new deals for players who are out of contract in the summer – such as men’s team captain Cesar Azpilicueta – must go on hold
- Chelsea can pay “reasonable” costs of travel to and from fixtures but not exceeding £20,000 per game per team.
- Pay “reasonable” costs towards hosting home fixtures, not exceeding £500,000 per fixture per team.
- Broadcasters can broadcast any fixture involving the club.
