Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has stepped aside from his position at the club, following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The oligarch has been the subject of some criticism in recent weeks, due to his links with Vladimir Putin.
Members of the British Parliament also asked for him to be sanctioned on the floor. As a result, there was a chance that his assets could’ve been seized and the club could’ve been one of the subjects of this action. But to safeguard his football team, he has now distanced himself from its operations.
Roman Abramovich hands Chelsea over to stewards
“During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the Club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as building for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities. I have always taken decisions with the Club’s best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values. That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC,” the official site of the club read.
“I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the Club, players, staff, and fans.”
To put things into perspective, Roman Abramovich still owns Chelsea and the club is not up for sale. The decision has been made by the billionaire in order to protect the club given the current scenario.