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Harry Fletcher
Mar 10, 2022
Roman Abramovich: Chelsea owner's record-breaking tenure in numbers
IndyTV
The football world has been reacting after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was hit by sanctions from the UK government.
It comes as part of the clampdown on Russian assets following the invasion of Ukraine. Chelsea has been frozen as an asset but given special permission to continue operating as a football club.
It’s uncertain times for the club though, although no match tickets or club merchandise can be sold.
The proposed sale of the club is also now barred although the government could give special dispensation to a deal if Abramovich doesn’t profit from it financially.
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As things stand, Chelsea are banned from selling any merchandise in its club shop too.
Users have flocked to social media to share their reaction and the memes are already coming thick and fast.
pic.twitter.com/6pDm00YhZJ— Luke Bailey (@Luke Bailey) 1646908919
Chelsea next season.pic.twitter.com/AigRlrbiXd— Paddy Power (@Paddy Power) 1646905256
\u201cKai Havertz was in red-hot form for the Blues at Turf Moor but things were decidedly more chilly for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, as he saw his assets frozen by the UK government amidst rising tensions due to the invasion of Ukraine.\u201dpic.twitter.com/igxhxhqMt6— HLTCO (@HLTCO) 1646911794
I just text Antonio R\u00fcdiger asking him what he's going to do now that he can't sign a new contract at Chelsea. He said Nicht jetzt, James.— Boring James Milner (@Boring James Milner) 1646908860
Chelsea fans changing team for the rest of the seasonpic.twitter.com/5meFe1JSFz— Troll Football (@Troll Football) 1646908223
Chelsea fans todaypic.twitter.com/hHemgGon29— Troll Football (@Troll Football) 1646912553
UK government stopping Putin with a 9 point points deduction for Chelseapic.twitter.com/pkghsoMyyC— Kan\u03c4\u03b5_\u03a3\u0396N \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7 (@Kan\u03c4\u03b5_\u03a3\u0396N \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7) 1646907172
Government sanctions prohibit Chelsea spending more than \u00a320,000 on any away game travel, which is going to make Champions League fixtures...interestingpic.twitter.com/OD5L8Romib— Project Football (@Project Football) 1646917080
pic.twitter.com/G9c96ASg5N— Darren Richman (@Darren Richman) 1646919390
Tbh, if this does lead to a total Chelsea collapse and a spell in mid-table - 'an extraordinary requisition on behalf of the British government' is a much better reason than 'letting Van Persie go' or 'Roy Hodgson'.— Clive Martin (@Clive Martin) 1646918573
The Tories seeing Chelsea fans turning on thempic.twitter.com/BghBB4V9U0— T G J (@T G J) 1646917619
The UK government said that Mr Abramovich “has had a close relationship [with Putin] for decades” and had obtained “financial benefit or other material benefit” from the Russian president and government – something the Chelsea owner previously denied.
British culture secretary Nadine Dorries said during the Abramovich announcement: “Today the government has announced further sanctions against persons linked to the Russian Government.
“This list includes Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club.
“Our priority is to hold those who have enabled the Putin regime to account. Today’s sanctions obviously have a direct impact on Chelse and its fans. We have been working hard to ensure the club and the national game are not unnecessarily harmed by these important sanctions.”
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