Premier League disqualifies Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich over links to Russian President Vladimir Putin

The Premier League has disqualified Roman Abramovich from running Chelsea football club after the Russian owner was sanctioned by the British government over Russia's war on Ukraine.

The announcement that Mr Abramovich had been disqualified from being a club director was made by the league's board.

«The board's decision does not impact on the club's ability to train and play its fixtures, as set out under the terms of a licence issued by the government which expires on 31 May 2022,» the league said.

The Russian oligarch has owned Chelsea since 2003.

Earlier this week, the British government imposed a travel ban and asset freezes on Mr Abramovich as one of seven wealthy Russians who were sanctioned.

He was banned from visiting the UK and was barred from transactions with UK individuals and businesses.

The government said it would allow Chelsea to continue playing matches but staff members had company credit cards from Barclaycard frozen as a result of the sanctions.

Some of Russia's richest young elites are speaking out against Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, including the offspring of oligarchs and a former reality TV host who challenged Vladimir Putin in the 2018 election.

Bowing to pressure against his ongoing ownership, Mr Abramovich had already announced before being sanctioned that he would put Chelsea up for sale.

The British government now has oversight of the sale process which the Raine Group, an investment bank, is working on.

Mr Abramovich originally hoped to divert the proceeds into a new foundation for the victims of the war in Ukraine, which he is yet to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin for launching.

But the government will only sanction a sale that does not see Mr Abramovich benefit as it tightens the screw