A British Labour Member of Parliament, Chris Bryant, has started a campaign that will see Roman Abramovich relinquishing ownership of Chelsea Football Club.
During discussions over the UK government’s response to the crisis in Ukraine, Bryant – the Labour MP for the Rhondda – said the Russian billionaire should no longer be able to own the London club, which he purchased in 2003.
Bryant said he had seen a leaked document from 2019 from the [British] home office, which says in relation to Mr. Abramovich – ‘As part of HMG’s Russia strategy aimed at targeting illicit finance and malign activity, Abramovich remains of interest to HMG due to his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices’.”
Bryant continued: “‘HMG is focused on ensuring that his link to illicit finance and malign activity are unable to base themselves in the UK and will use the relevant tools at its disposal, including immigration powers to prevent this’.
“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? And making sure that other people who have had Tier 1 visas like this are not engaged in malign activity?”
Commons leader, Mark Spencer, replied: “He will know under the sanctions passed in the house this week there is the opportunity for the government to take very strong action against high-profile Russian individuals who are of concern.
“He will be aware that the home secretary will be at this despatch box next Monday for home office questions and I am sure he will be able to challenge her directly.”
Prime minister Boris Johnson incorrectly stated in British parliament earlier this week that Abramovich was already facing sanctions, admitting afterwards that he “misspoke”.
Abramovich has repeatedly denied that he has close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin. The 55-year-old withdrew his application for a UK visa in 2018 during Theresa May’s time as British prime minister and has now obtained citizenship in Israel and Portugal.
Meanwhile, UEFA “will no longer stage this season’s Champions League final in St. Petersburg after Russia attacked Ukraine,” according to a source.
An extraordinary meeting of the UEFA Exec Committee “will be held on Friday (today) to discuss the geopolitical crisis and when officials are set to confirm taking the May 28 showpiece game out of Russia.”
The U.K. government and fan groups “had been asking UEFA to no longer play the game in the St. Petersburg, where the stadium is sponsored by Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom.”
