ABRAMOVICH SANCTIONED - CHELSEA ACCOUNTS FROZEN
This will have some big implications for the club, especially in the summer. Will Abramovich just fold the club? Will there be a firesale of players being sold/released to reduce the wage bill? Will the academy shut down? If so, Wycombe should definitely be in a position to try to sign some of those youngsters up.
0
Comments
I predict it will have almost zero impact.
I think it is somewhat unfair to ban ticket sales to away fans. Why should they be prevented from following their team. Imagine if we had been drawn at Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter final and were not allowed to buy tickets. Also looking at their upcoming fixtures, what happens if say lots of Brentford fans turn up at the ground next month causing trouble?
It could have an impact @drcongo if small businesses don't get paid.
It is almost as if war is a bit more important than football fans' feelings. Odd
For me a somewhat cynical, high profile exercise in making it look like the government is sanctioning oligarchs. (Or at least the ones who are not bankrolling senior politicians of all parties or have been enobled despite MI5 objections.)
I agree. The Government will love telling the story but there will be no actual substance behind it.
Government freezes assets of Abramovich - like they even know what/where his assets are.
Meanwhile government writes off £millions of fraudulent Covid business grants where they have a much better chance of reclaiming the money.
You are mistaken. The sanctions will have enormous impact, just watch.
I'm delighted to see this happen to plastic Chelsea and their odious supporters. Some time in the EFL will do them good.
Sounds like you might have a different agenda for wanting sanctions to work.
I think the club will be operating normally within the week. Let's watch
Chelsea FC suffering is just a welcome bonus.
Don't worry, John Terry will save them with his cartoon apes
Their fans have enjoyed the ride but it was never really his money and it's perfectly right he can't wave it around any longer. I agree a sale will be cut soon enough and someone else will run it as is with minimal difference.
His team were actually quite clever/lucky/well advised/cautious maybe in the last few years operating it in a way that meant it now can run at a profit and is probably worth more than originally invested so they'll all be fine.
Here is the statement from Chelsea FC
Chelsea Football Club has been advised that its owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK Government.
By virtue of his 100 per cent ownership of Chelsea FC plc and affiliated entities, Chelsea FC would normally be subject to the same sanctions regime as Mr Abramovich. However, the UK Government has issued a general licence that permits Chelsea FC to continue certain activities. We will fulfil our men’s and women’s team fixtures today against Norwich and West Ham, respectively, and intend to engage in discussions with the UK Government regarding the scope of the licence.
This will include seeking permission for the licence to be amended in order to allow the club to operate as normal as possible. We will also be seeking guidance from the UK Government on the impact of these measures on the Chelsea Foundation and its important work in our communities. The club will update further when it is appropriate.
So I suspect @drcongo is right
And here is what has been disclosed about the licence terms
Premier League club frozen as part of action; proposed sale halted for time being.
Chelsea club shop must close, no more match tickets can be sold.
Fans who bought season tickets or individual match tickets before today can attend games.
Club can fulfil fixtures and pay wages of all employees, including players and coaching staff.
No new player sales or purchases will be permitted under the licence, and discussions on new deals for players who are out of contract in the summer must go on hold
Chelsea can pay "reasonable" costs of travel to and from fixtures but not exceeding £20,000 per game per team.
Pay "reasonable" costs towards hosting home fixtures, not exceeding £500,000 per fixture per team.
Broadcasters can broadcast any fixture involving the club.
That's very Derby. We see the UK Government and it's decision but don't you know who we are, think of the children watching at home.
Three have just requested a suspension of their sponsorship deal, which quite a lot more than I expected.
So he can sell the club, but can't profit from their sale.
This will be interesting how it pans out.
Most likely he'll find a way to bypass that rule and they'll have some new owner within a month.
But it is intriguing the idea that they can't sell any more tickets or merch etc.
Can't offer new contracts etc.
I would question the integrity of any competition where away supporters are effectively banned.
Sensing a bargain, Derby buyers turn their sights to West London...
It says Chelsea are banned from selling tickets to fans. Could they just give them to away fans?
Or give them to NHS staff?
Today is why I hate so much about the Premier League
Loads of Chelsea fans ringing the radio
‘Roman’s just a scapegoat’
‘Unfairly targeted’
‘Government is a disgrace’ (agree on that)
They don’t give a shit about children dying, as long as their team wins.
Just sickening
Possible but unlikely with operating costs also limited, won't want anymore stewards than needed etc
Innovative way to bust sanctions
I can agree with them that he is being targeted when perhaps other owners tied to dodgy regimes (with oil) get a blind eye turned...but at the moment his fortunes are tied up with a loony who has started a rather pointless, aggressive war and is threatening us with nuclear weapons...so you have to take it on the chin I think.
I'm not sure that's exclusive to the Premier League... Tribalism exists throughout the game and it's fucking grim.
Admittedly it gets worse the bigger the club and is more pronounced at the elite level. Chelsea fans are some of the worst - I've not been to a more unpleasant football environment than Stamford Bridge.
Britain sells shed loads of weapons to most of the other “dodgy regimes” so quite right that they should be allowed to own football clubs and that the families of the brown- skinned victims of the British made bombs should be denied asylum here. Perhaps Purim missed a trick. Buy a few jets from BAe and get a free pass from government and media here. Always follow the money…..
Wasn’t really done to bust the sanctions, more of a way to allow travelling fans follow and support their team at Chelsea’s ground.
Them being banned punished every other teams supporters while Chelsea can have all their season ticket holders at games. Away teams will have zero support. Doesn’t seem right to me.
Why premier league when Derby fans have been the same in their situation?
Getting heavy with him, just after they've bowed to the Newcastle owners, with the City owners being media darlings does offer some interesting comparisons.