Roman Abramovich: Chelsea owner's assets should be seized, Labour MP tells government

February 24, 2022

Chelsea owner and Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich should have his assets seized, an MP has told the government.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Labour MP Chris Bryant said he had a leaked Home Office document which suggested Abramovich should not be allowed to be based in the UK.

It showed that at the time, Bryant said, Abramovich was of interest to the government "due to his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices".

The document, he said, cited court proceedings in which Abramovich admitted paying for political influence.

"That is nearly three years ago and yet remarkably little has been done in relation. Surely Mr Abramovich should no longer be able to own a football club in this country?

"Surely we should be looking at seizing some of his assets including his £152m home?" Bryant added.

A spokesman for Abramovich has declined to comment.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "I couldn't comment on individuals in that way or leaked documents of that type."

A company called USM was sanctioned by the US Government on Thursday night. However, contrary to reports, this is not the same USM connected to Everton's major shareholder Farhad Moshiri or the one which sponsors their Finch Farm training ground.

Downing Street confirmed five further oligarchs who are particularly close to the Kremlin will be sanctioned, including Russia's youngest billionaire and former husband of Vladimir Putin's daughter, Kirill Shamalov, the chairman and CEO of PSB bank Petr Fradkov, deputy president of VTB bank Denis Bortnikov, general director of United Aircraft Corporation Yury Slyusar and CEO of Novikombank Georgieva Elena Aleksandrovna.

Making a statement in the Commons, Boris Johnson said that more than 100 businesses and individuals will be tackled in total, including "all the major manufacturers that support Putin's war machine".

UEFA to move Champions League final from St Petersburg

UEFA will move the Champions League final from Russian city St Petersburg on Friday due to the escalating situation in Ukraine.

The final was due to take place at the 68,000-capacity Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on May 28 but UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has called an "extraordinary meeting" of the Executive Committee for Friday to confirm the decision to move the match.

It is unclear whether the governing body will confirm a new venue for the final.

The Ukrainian FA also want the 2023 UEFA Super Cup final to be moved from Kazan in Russia and have asked FIFA and UEFA to ban Russian teams from their competitions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed an attack on Ukraine with explosions heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv while blasts were also reported in the cities of Odessa and Kharkiv.

In other developments:

  • Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic release joint statement saying they will not travel to Russia to play World Cup play-off games due to security fears. Russia are due to play Poland on March 24th at the Dynamo Central Stadium in Moscow, with the winner then playing either Sweden or Czech Republic in either Russia or Poland. Sky Sports News has contacted FIFA for comment on whether the games will be moved.
  • Sky Sports News has contacted the Scottish FA regarding their World Cup qualifier against Ukraine at Hampden Park on March 24 and their two UEFA Nations League games in June in Scotland and September in Ukraine
  • The Football Association of Ireland has said it is working with the government, UEFA and the Ukrainian FA over their UEFA Nations League clash in Lviv on June 14
  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Russian airline Aeroflot is banned from operating in the UK. Aeroflot are one of Manchester United's major sponsors and described as "the official carrier" of the club.
  • Second division German club Schalke announced they will remove the logo of main sponsor Gazprom from the club's shirts and replace it with 'Schalke 04'.
  • The Ukrainian league - due to restart this weekend after its winter break - has been suspended after the president announced Martial Law in the country.
  • Sky in Italy are reporting Shakhtar Donetsk's Italian manager Roberto De Zerbi is currently stuck in a Kyiv hotel alongside eight staff members.
  • In the same hotel are Shakhtar and Dynamo Kiev's Brazilian players and their families and they have released a video on social media asking the Brazilian government for help leaving the country
  • There were displays of unity in Thursday's European club action. Barcelona and Napoli players united behind a banner which read 'STOP WAR'
  • Former world champion Sebastian Vettel says he will not race at Formula One's Russian Grand Prix this season as the sport says it is "closely watching" events but offered no comment on whether September's race will go ahead.
  • Boxers Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko urged the international community to "stay united against Russian aggression" and not to let it "happen in the Ukraine, Europe and eventually the world". Oleksandr Usyk revealed he is in Ukraine and said "this war has to be stopped"
  • Alexander Dyukov, president of the Russian Football Union, is expected to speak out against UEFA's decision to move the Champions League final at Friday's meeting.
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