Roman Abramovich ‘stopping Chelsea from becoming hostage to anti-Russia sanctions’

Roman Abramovich has given up his stewardship of Chelsea in order to stop the club ‘becoming hostage to anti-Russian sanctions’, according to a close friend of the billionaire.

On Saturday, Chelsea confirmed that Abramovich has passed hisstewardship to the trustees of the club’s charitable foundation.

Chelsea’s charitable foundation is led the club’s chairman Bruce Buck. The other trustees are Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes. Chelsea’s director of finance Paul Ramos, Piara Powar, who is the executive director of anti-racism organisation Fare. Sebastian Coe, who is the president of World Athletics. Hugh Robertson, who is the chairman of the British Olympic Association and a former MP, and sports lawyer John Devine.

Abramovich can continue to fund Chelsea, while the inner workings of the club will remain unchanged with Marina Granovskaia still in control of football operations.

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However, Abramovich has moved to distance himself from the club following the decision taken by Russia’s president Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine.

‘He’s really doing it to stop the club becoming hostage to anti-Russian sanctions, which are going to be around for a while now,’ a friend of Abramovich told the Financial Times.

Earlier this week,the UK Government announced a list of sanctions against against Russian banks, oligarchs and companies.

While Abramovich has not been sanctioned, Labour MP Chris Bryant has called for the seizure of his assets, including Chelsea.

‘I’ve got hold of a leaked document from 2019 from the Home Office, which says, in relation to Mr. Abramovich,’ Bryant told the House of Commons.

‘As part of HMGs Russia strategy, aimed at targeting