Government Minister Urges Chelsea Fans To Stop Roman Abramovich Chants
A government minister has called on Chelsea fans to stop chanting in support of club owner Roman Abramovich.
Fans have sung Abramovich's name at their last three matches, including at Burnley where the chants disrupted a minute's applause set up to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Ukraine was invaded by Russia last month and the UK government has responded by imposing sanctions on oligarchs they believe have close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Abramovich was hit by sanctions on Thursday when all of his UK assets, including Chelsea FC, were frozen.
Despite him being named as a Putin ally - an allegation Abramovich denies - a large number of Chelsea fans continued to show support for their club's owner during Thursday's 3-1 win at Norwich.
Technology minister Chris Philp responded on Friday by telling the BBC: "I understand why Chelsea fans have some affection for him, but when the regime he is associated with is committing atrocities that is more important than football.
"So I would ask them to think very carefully before doing that again because the barbaric acts of the Putin regime which Abramovich has supported is far more important than football."
Abramovich became Chelsea owner in 2003.
Since then Chelsea have won 21 team trophies - six more than they had won in nearly a century before he arrived.
Roman Abramovich pictured at a match between Chelsea and Sunderland in 2017
IMAGO/Andy Rowland
Abramovich has invested a fortune to facilitate Chelsea's success. He has also lent the club around £1.5 billion.
But Abramovich claimed via Chelsea's official website on March 2 when he announced his intention to sell the club that he "will not be asking for any loans to be repaid."
He also vowed to pass on "all net proceeds" from the sale of the club to a new charitable foundation to help "all victims of the war in Ukraine".
A lot has changed since he made that statement.
Abramovich had been hoping to sell Chelsea FC for around £3 billion, but the sanctions imposed by the UK government now prohibit him from selling the club.
He may still be able to find a buyer, as long as Abramovich can satisfy the government that he will not personally receive any money from the deal.
Chelsea play Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
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