Chelsea banned from selling tickets as Roman Abramovich hit with sanctions UK News

It is part of the government’s attempt to crack down on wealthy Russians with assets in the UK.

Chelsea owners are one of many oligarchs who faced sanctions on Thursday.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said Vladimir Putin’s attacks on Ukraine involved “new levels of evil hour by hour” and that the government had announced new sanctions “against individuals linked to the government Russian”.

“This list includes Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club,” she said.

She acknowledged it would have an impact on the Prime Minister’s side, but a special license would allow her to continue operating.

She said: “Today’s sanctions obviously have a direct impact on Chlesea and their fans. We have worked hard to ensure that the club and the national game are not unnecessarily harmed by these significant sanctions.

“To ensure the club can continue to compete and operate, we are issuing a special license which will allow fixtures to be filled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches while depriving Abramovich of benefit from his club ownership.

“I know it brings some uncertainty, but the government will work with the league and the clubs to keep playing football while ensuring that the sanctions hit those that are intended. Football clubs are cultural assets and the foundation of our communities, and we are committed to protecting them.

When did Abramovich buy Chelsea?

It comes after Abramovich announced his intention to sell the Premier League club, with the net proceeds from the sale going to “all victims of the war in Ukraine”.

The sale of the club will end 20 years of ownership, with the Russian-Israeli billionaire buying Chelsea in 2003.

Abramovich is believed to be confident of reaching around £3billion, while several interested parties are clearly exploring lower offers. The current Chelsea owner is determined that the sale will follow the standard procedure and timetable.

The sanctions will come into effect before the sale of the club can take place.