Chelsea ‘praying for peace’ amid ‘horrific and devastating’ Ukraine crisis

Chelsea have described the Ukraine crisis as “horrific and devastating” after club owner Roman Abramovichhanded over stewardship of the club.

The statement from the Blues comes a day after the Russian confirmed the club’s stewardish was now in the hands of the trustees of club foundation.

The club’s tweet to the statement included the word “conflict”, the actual statement did not however. While there was no mention of Russia at all.

The club statement read: “The situation in Ukraine is horrific and devastating. Chelsea FC’s thoughts are with everyone in Ukraine. Everyone at the club is praying for peace.”

The Russian has been sole proprietor of the club since June 2003, with Chelsea becoming champions of Europe twice under his control.

However, he now appears to have put the running of the organisation in the hands of members of the Chelsea Foundation, which describes itself as a registered charity involved in “community activities, including our international work and anti-discrimination projects”.

The foundation trustees include club chairman Bruce Buck and Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes, along with the club’s director of finance Paul Ramos.

Sir Hugh Robertson, the chair of the British Olympic Association, John Devine, partner at legal firm Muckle LLP, and Piara Power, chair of anti-discrimination network FARE, are also trustees.

Earlier this week, a leaked Home Office document led Labour MP Chris Bryant to suggest Mr Abramovich should “no longer be able to own a football club” in the UK, after the backbencher claimed the document stated the Russian remained “of interest to the HMG [Her Majesty’s Government] due to his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices”.

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