February 27, (THEWILL) – Following calls in the English Parliament for penalties against Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in the light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Stamford Bridge club released a statement from Abramovich on Saturday.
In a carefully worded and straightforward statement, Abramovich concluded by saying he was handing over control of the running of the club to “trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation” in an apparent bid to avoid uncertainties concerning his fate and that of the club going forward.
As THEWILL reported earlier, Thomas Tuchel confessed that the involvement of the Parliament with Abramovich produced “many uncertainties” at the club, which was “worrying” and “distracting” for his players.
This may have forced the Russian to put out the statement that read: “During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the Club, whose job it is to ensure that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities.
“I have always taken decisions with the Club’s best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values. That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC.
“I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the Club, players, staff, and fans.”
The 55-year-old Russian oligarch has yet to face government consequences and has owned Chelsea since 2003.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
