The owner of Chelsea Football Club, Roman Abramovich has confirmed his plans to sell the Stamford Bridge club with ‘net proceeds going to victims of the war in Ukraine’.
Roman Abramovich Confirms Chelsea Sale
KanyiDaily had earlier reported that Roman Abramovich is considering selling Chelsea as he faces the threat of sanctions by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week.
In a statement on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, the Russian billionaire said he had taken the “incredibly difficult decision” to sell Chelsea but he believed it was in the best interest of the club.
Abramovich, who has loaned more than £1.5bn to the club which he bought in a £140m deal in 2003, said he will not ask for any of the loans to be repaid because of his love for the club.
The 55-year-old billionaire, who noted that the sale of Chelsea “will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process”, said the net proceeds from the sale will be donated to a charitable foundation created to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine.
Full Statement From Roman Abramovich
It reads, “I would like to address the speculation in media over the past few days in relation to my ownership of Chelsea FC. As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart.
“In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the club, the fans, the employees, as well as the club’s sponsors and partners.
“The sale of the club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and club.
“Moreover, I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery.
“Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the club in this manner. However, I do believe this is in the best interest of the club.
“I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements. Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart.”
What You Need To Know:
KanyiDaily had reported how Russian President, Vladimir Putin ordered a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine on Thursday morning, killing hundreds of people and wounding dozens.
Last weekend, Roman Abramovich was effectively barred from living in the United Kingdom after he was named as one of the ‘key enablers’ of Putin’s regime.
It was gathered that immigration officials are “under clear instruction to work towards ensuring Mr. Abramovich cannot base himself in the UK” despite owning a £125million mansion near Kensington Palace.
UK Labour Minister of Parliament, Chris Bryant, had also called for the seizure of the Russian billionaire’s assets including his ownership of Chelsea Football Club.
However, Abramovich had vehemently denied his closeness to the Kremlin or doing anything that would merit sanctions being imposed against him due to the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, 86-year-old Swiss billionaire, Hansjorg Wyss has admitted interest in purchasing Chelsea Football Club from Roman Abramovich, but only as part of a consortium.
