Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom government, which freezes his assets.
In a document published by the government on Thursday morning, Chelsea’s owner was identified as “a pro-Kremlin oligarch” and was said to be “associated with a person who is or has been involved in destabilizing Ukraine and undermining and threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, namely Vladimir Putin, with whom Abramovich has had a close relationship for decades.”
Abramovich cannot sell Chelsea or invest in the club. Abramovich put the club up for sale last week and had hoped the deal would go through quickly.
Chelsea cannot sell tickets, no merchandise sales are allowed and they cannot sign players or hand out new contracts. Season ticket holders are allowed to attend games and catering services will be permitted.
