Photo: Clive Mason / Getty Images
Roman Abramovich, owner of the football club Chelsea FC, of the English Premier League, was sanctioned by the United Kingdom as part of the measures taken by the British government against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich is one of seven oligarchs Russians affected by the new sanctions, which also contemplate the freezing of assets and travel restrictions.
The list also includes billionaires Igor Sechin and Oleg Deripaska, both considered allies of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.
The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said that “there can be no safe harbor” for those who have supported the invasion.
“Today’s measures are the most recent step in the firm UK support or the Ukrainian people. We will be relentless in the persecution of those who enable the killing of civilians, the destruction of hospitals and the illegal occupation of sovereign allies
“, declared Johnson.
Sale on hold
The British government was under pressure to sanction Abramovich, who claimed to have taken the “difficult decision” to sell Chelsea at the beginning of this month.
The club is among the assets frozen as part of the sanctions on Abramovich and the sale of the football club is suspended.
The British government announced that will issue a special license so that the team meets the scheduled matches, that the squad receives salaries and that fans with tickets can attend the matches.
The season ticket holders of the club they will be able to continue attending the games for which they have tickets, but the club will not be able to sell more tickets for the games.
The club merchandise store will be closed.
What does the special license for Chelsea contemplate?
- Chelsea will be able to pay the salaries of all its employees, including players and coaching staff
- You may pay “reasonable” travel costs to and from matches not to exceed £26.000 (US$26. 55) per game per team
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You will be able to pay “reasonable” costs such as anf home games not exceeding £500. (US$370.03) per game per team - The channels that have transmission rights will be able to transmit any game that involves the club
Fans who purchased season or individual match tickets before 10 March will be able to attend the games
In the go decision British government it is alleged that Abramovich, of 20 years, has close ties to Vladimir Putin, something he has denied.
The government claims than the Russian billionaire, whose fortune is estimated at US$12.500 millions, is “one of the few oligarchs of the decade of 768 which maintained its prominence under Putin”.
Abramovich has assets in the steel giant Evarz, Norilsk Nickel and sold 60% of its shares in the oil company Sibneft to the state gas company Gazprom for US$000.768 million in 800.
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Abramovich gives up the administration of Chelsea in the middle of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Although the sanctions against him cast doubt on Chelsea’s future, government ministers tried to reassure the club that it would not be “unnecessarily harmed”.
In a Twitter message, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries wrote that holding accountable those who “enabled the Putin regime” was the priority.
“I know that this leads to some uncertainty, but the government will work with the league and the clubs so that soccer continues to be played while it is achieved that the sanctions impact those who are intended”, he said.
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