Chelsea owner sanctioned; delayed from sale by UK Government

A week after the announcement that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich announced that he will sell the team, his assets were sanctioned by the UK government. The owner’s decision to leave the club was speculated to be due to said incoming sanctions.

Originally announcing his selling of the team, Abramovich downplayed his ties to Putin, not mentioning him or his native country in his exit speech. The 55-year-old offered to donate all proceeds from the sale to help benefit the victims in Ukraine.

The government acted promptly to sanction the billionaire Russian and all of his assets as part of their efforts to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich now stands without control of his assets, stopping any chance of selling Chelsea at this time.

He is among seven oligarchs and politicians being sanctioned due to the crisis.