Chelsea sale impossible: Abramovich assets frozen
Roman Abramovich Chelsea owner
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The sale of Chelsea FC planned by Roman Abramovich will not work out for the time being. The British government has frozen his assets.
The sale of the club, announced by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich last week, cannot go ahead as planned as the British government announced on Thursday that the Russian billionaire’s assets would be frozen.
Abramovich is being sanctioned for his association with Russian President Vladimir Putin and business ties with several oligarchs. The measures follow the invasion of Ukraine ordered by Putin regarding two weeks ago.
Chelsea: Only season ticket holders allowed
“Abramovich is associated with a person who is or has been involved in destabilizing Ukraine and threatening the country’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, namely Vladimir Putin,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
Abramovich can no longer make money from the club. A sale is therefore excluded, even the sale of tickets for the upcoming games may no longer take place. However, the duel planned for Thursday in Norwich is to be played, and only season ticket holders are allowed to play the home games.
Abramovich’s short-term sale of the Blues was expected to happen before sanctions were imposed on the businessman. With the British decision on Thursday, this plan was thwarted.