Explained: How does the Russia-Ukraine conflict affect Chelsea?

On this, Labour MP Chris Bryant replied about possessing a leaked 2019 document from the UK Home Office which said ‘in relation to Mr Abramovich that ‘as part of HMG’s Russia strategy aimed at targeting illicit finance and malign activity, he remains of interest to HMG due to his links with Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices.’

“That was three years ago and yet remarkably nothing has been done,” Bryant said.

Later, the MP wrote in his column in The Guardian: “The three individuals the PM named have already been sanctioned in the US since 2018. So, we are not picking off the minnows but allowing the basking sharks to swim freely. Johnson did not even know whom we had already sanctioned, claiming that Roman Abramovich was on the list and refusing to correct the record. We need much tougher, wider sanctions.”

How did Abramovich’s association with Chelsea begin and has there been controversies about the Russian owner before?

According to media reports, Chelsea FC had a debt of $23 million prior to Abramovich buying a 50 percent stake in the club for 30 million pounds in June 2003. He later managed a complete takeover of the club for reportedly 140 million pounds. Since then, the club has won 18 major trophies including two Champions League titles. The Russian, who owns a house in England, saw multiple delays in the renewal of his UK Tier-1 visa amid tensions between UK and Russia, had withdrawn his application for a new UK investor visa, and currently has an Israeli passport. Abramovich’s net worth is estimated to be around 10.7 billion pounds and is the 142nd richest person in the world – according to Forbes.

How can Chelsea be impacted by sanctions, if imposed?

Under the terms of the sanctions as per UK law, it is illegal for any individual, company or bank in the UK to ‘provide funds or economic resources’ for the benefit of the individual or firm that has been sanctioned. The Times reported that if Abramovich is sanctioned, it will be illegal for fans to buy tickets or for the broadcaster to pay to broadcast Chelsea matches. Chelsea’s debt to Abramovich is over 1.5 billion pounds and finance experts are of the view that the club may go out of business if the government imposes sanctions against Abramovich. The Times also reported that the club is technically owned by private company Fordstam, set up by Abramovich, and it has underwritten the losses of the club.

Amid all this talk, Bloomberg reported that some investors and private equity firms from the US have shown interest in buying Chelsea, a club valued at around 1.5 billion pounds.

How has Abramovich been linked with Russian President Vladimir Putin?

While the Russian billionaire made his fortune in the oil trade after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. There have been talks in political and sporting circles that he has ties with Putin. Last December, Abramovich won an apology with the settlement of a defamation case over British journalist Catherine Belton’s claims over his ties with the Russian president in her book Putin’s People. It claimed that the Russian billionaire had bought Chelsea under Putin’s instructions. Belton, who is a former Moscow correspondent for The Financial Times, had claimed in the book that Abramovich indulged in a corrupt relationship with Putin and effectively acted as his ‘cashier”.

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What has been the reaction from Chelsea players and manager Thomas Tuchel?

While the players have been busy training, Tuchel did speak about the issue of sanctions or about the club’s Russian owner being on their minds as a distraction ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool. “I am aware of all these scenarios and I am aware of all these discussions at the moment. I would love to take my right not to comment on this until there is a decision made. But we are aware of it and it has been distracting us and worrying us. To a certain degree, I can understand the opinions and the critical opinions towards the club. I understand and we can’t free ourselves from it,” Tuchel said at a press conference. The 48-year-old also said that war in Europe was unthinkable for him. “The situation is too big. It’s not an isolated situation somewhere, it concerns Europe, it’s in Europe, and we are part of Europe. We feel that it is horrible and there can be no doubt about it. War in Europe was unthinkable for a long period. The impact is clear and the discussions have an impact,” the German added.

As per The Independent, Sofia Abramovich, Roman’s daughter, shared a post on social media saying the Russian president’s actions were not supported by the majority of Russians. Sofia, who is a professional show-jumper in London, wrote, “The biggest and most successful lie of Kremlin’s propaganda is that most Russians stand with Putin.”