Cubs owners denounce racism after backlash over Chelsea bid
LONDON: The owners of the Chicago Cubs, who are bidding for Premier League club Chelsea, touted their anti-racism credentials Wednesday after a backlash in England about offensive comments by the Ricketts family patriarch. It has been three years since Joe Ricketts apologized after online media outlet Splinter News published emails featuring him making Islamophobic comments, such as “Islam is a cult and not a religion.” The racist comments have gained a renewed focus during the competitive bidding contest to buy Chelsea, which has been put up for sale after Russian owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the British government over his ties to President Vladimir Putin amid the war on Ukraine.
