famous businessman Roman Abramovich confirmed that the Chelsea FC for sale. The Russian businessman issued a statement saying that his intentions are to “provide the best” for the London club and therefore decided to sell it.
Abramovich has owned Chelsea FC since 2003 and was the main person responsible for the English club’s fame in the world of football to the point of building a super-team of stars and winning the Champions League twice (2011-2012 and 2020-2021).
Although Abramovich was not punished by the United States or the European Union for his links with the Russian government, the businessman offered to sell not only the football team, but also real estate assets on the territory of London to avoid their eventual loss. He can order the confiscation of his property in England and the United States.
Abramovich defends himself against possible sanctions
The Russian businessman’s statement was published on the Chelsea FC website on the afternoon of Wednesday 2 March. In the document, Abramovich states that “in the current situation, I have made the decision to sell the club, because I consider that this will be the best for the team, the fans, the staff and sponsors of the club, as well as partners.”
Before venturing into the world of football, Abramovich was already very famous in Russia where, after being a soldier in the former Soviet Union, he developed friendships with the country’s leaders such as Boris Yeltsin and Boris Berezovskywho was one of the most important money tycoons in Russia in the 1990s and a close friend of Yetsin.
Prior to his friendship with Vladimir Putin, Abramovich made use of perestroika to enter into the commodity trade and benefit from the knowledge he had about gas after studying at the Russian State University of Oil and Gas.
The Russian businessman’s statement also said that the sale of Chelsea FC “will continue with due legal process” and that he will not ask for the loans he made to repay them. “This was not for business or money, it was for my passion for football and the team,” Abramovich said, adding that the money from the sale of the club would go to a foundation that is responsible for Caring for the victims of the Russian blockade of Ukrainewhich since last Thursday, February 24, has been invaded by soldiers from the Eurasian state.
Back to Stamford Bridge for the last time
The Russian oligarch said goodbye in his statement that he hoped to visit Chelsea’s stadium, Stamford Bridge, “one last time” to bid farewell to all people and stressed that it was a great honor to be part of Chelsea FC, “Chelsea and its fans will always be in my heart”.
The United States, the European Union, Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan are among the countries that have agreed to harsh sanctions against Russia, its financial system and Putin, after the invasion of Ukraine came to an end.
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