Roman Abramovich steps away from the control

Roman Abramovich steps away from the control of Chelsea

The Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich hands the Chelsea stewardship to the club’s charity trust. The decision made him is based on the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Roman Abramovich will step away from control but not from the ownership of the club. Chelsea will play Liverpool in Sunday’s Carabao Cup Final. Abramovich has been the owner of the club since 2003 but his position remained under scrutiny since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea is not for sale

Abramovich will remain as the Chelsea owner. The Russian owner has invested over a billion pounds into the club since 2003. He will not be asking the club to repay the loan it owes him. Thus the long-term future of the club remains safe.

It is understandable from the statements that Abramovich remains stern that the Chelsea is not for sale. But questions arise about his future at the club.

Whether he will return to the club will depend on the situation of the UK’s relationship with Russia. As well as the sanctions he might face.

A number of calls came from MPs this week saying that the Russian-born Roman Abramovich should not be allowed to own Chelsea. The calls came due to his alleged links to Vladimir Putin’s regime.

Roman Abramovich’s statement on the situation

In a rare statement from Roman Abramovich, he said that during his nearly 20-year-old stint as the owner of the club, he has viewed his role as a custodian. He always thought that the job is to ensure that they are as successful as they can be today. He added that he remains committed to the club’s values. That is why he is giving control to the club’s charity trust.

He said, “I believe that they are the best to trust to look after the interests of the club, staff, players, and fans.”

Roman Abramovich will not be a part of the club matters on a day-to-day basis and decision-making. The powers are being handed over to the Chelsea Foundation.

The Chelsea Foundation’s trustees are Bruce Buck, John Devine, Emma Hayes, Hugh Robertson, and Piara Powar.

Sofia Abramovich, the daughter of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, hits out on Instagram at "Kremlin propaganda" that claims "most Russians stand with Putin" over his decision to wage war on Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/PYOiVn1g5D
— James Franey (@jamesfraney) February 25, 2022