Roman Abramovich Thread

[Superblue 6,372]

1 hour ago, manpe said:

I still don't understand how that prevents us from being sanctioned though? Him transferring the running of the club to somebody else doesn't change the fact that we are still OWNED by him. If they wanted to sanction us that little statement wouldn't stop them, would it?

I want to see Abramovich condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine. If he doesn't, I'm all for selling the club.

Everyone would want that as it completely diffuses a situation hovering around our club that none of us have asked for. You'd think Chelsea football club has invaded Ukraine with some of the journalist and social media posts.

But a number of the journalists, politicians and media people hammering the club for Roman not doing so have previous themselves of refusing to admit or denounce/criticise wrongdoings, false propaganda, etc from their employers, parties, etc.

This whole situation is levels above anything like that with regards to both seriousness and sensitivity. I wonder if any of them would be so bold to publicly speak out if they were Russian and working within the Russian media or politics?

[cosmicway 1,333]

In this world of Putin spies one has to start with Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and slide downwards.

[MoroccanBlue 5,385]

14 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

This whole situation is levels above anything like that with regards to both seriousness and sensitivity. I wonder if any of them would be so bold to publicly speak out if they were Russian and working within the Russian media or politics?

Especially when almost every business entity/venture in Russia is intertwined with the government. For an oligarch to publicly condemn their own government would be madness. Even if they genuinely are against it. 

Edited February 27, 2022 by MoroccanBlue

[Seymop 90]

The look on the faces of Zinchenko and Mykolenko yesterday was gut renching . They may be safe, but I am sure they have family who are currently far from safe. I know this is a football forum, but what is going on currently transcends all sport. I hope our players can lift themselves this afternoon as a farewell gift to Roman. Then as much as it saddens me, I think he should sell the club. The conflict could go on for many months and many will wrongly view Chelsea as guilty by association. However unfair on the club, our name and standing in the game will be diminished. Roman — thank you so,so much for all the great times, but maybe now it’s right to go

[Romans disciples 26]

21 minutes ago, cosmicway said:

In this world of Putin spies one has to start with Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and slide downwards.

Very true my orthodox brother . Farage has delivered economic catastrophic  to English people. 

Johnson is corrupt baffon .

[Vesper 30,224]

3 hours ago, King Kante said:

The only people who could buy Chelsea and keep it running as it is (by which I mean investment) are: 

Ratcliff

Ek

Bezos

Musk

The last two are in a space race and don't strike me as people who would want a football club. After that it is investment firms or Nation States. 

there are many others too

Bernard Arnault (he is worth close to 200 billion atm, only Musk is worth more as Bezos dropped a bit) would be great (and ffs, we could have Louis Vuitton or Dior do the kits!, LOLOLOL)

He would also be close to the most likely one to build a new, off the charts stadium

everything LVMH does is normally to insanely world class levels

 

[Strike 7,493]

9 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

Like I said before.

It's shows how much people lack perspective. 

Seizing a football club is not going to save lives. 

Ukraine is with their back to the walls because of Putin. And they're talking about seizing a football club like that's going to stop him.

Ridiculous.

as opposed to doing nothing?

[MoroccanBlue 5,385]

3 minutes ago, Strike said:

as opposed to doing nothing?

Seizing an asset owned by a Russian oligarch that has nothing on him which ties him to being involved and/or supporting Putin's invasion of Ukraine. 

What does this do exactly?

It's merely a cry for guilty by association which is a fallacy and something Roman's lawyers will definitely bring up. 

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

20 minutes ago, Vesper said:

there are many others too

Bernard Arnault (he is worth close to 200 billion atm, only Musk is worth more as Bezos dropped a bit) would be great (and ffs, we could have Louis Vuitton or Dior do the kits!, LOLOLOL)

He would also be close to the most likely one to build a new, off the charts stadium

everything LVMH does is normally to insanely world class levels

 

That would be huge

personally I would never buy their stuff but that might change it lol. their business model is brilliant. Their gross profit margin is consistently above 60%, take from the masses and give to the shareholders. All those brain dead. hip hop fanboys here spend their little bit of wages on overpriced lv stuff. But then again most kind of consumption is a wealth shift from the poor to the rich 

as lvmh shareholder I would don’t  mind that at all tho 

doubt arbault is interested in this investment anyway

[Strike 7,493]

2 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Seizing an asset owned by a Russian oligarch that has nothing on him which ties him to being involved and/or supporting Putin's invasion of Ukraine. 

What does this do exactly?

It's merely a cry for guilty by association which is a fallacy and something Roman's lawyers will definitely bring up. 

Isn't it in a High Court observation that they are close?

Anyway, as fans we have to consider the moral questions than see the lawyer's version in all this. 

[KEVINAA 129]

We must no longer accept articles from telegraph UK. They are spreading lies for clicks.

 

Chelsea trustees have not agreed to take on 'stewardship' over fears of being front for Roman Abramovich

| @JWTelegraph @SamWallaceTel

https://t.co/U3otE3h9hs

https://twitter.com/TeleFootball/status/1497967689716936704

 

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,385]

59 minutes ago, Strike said:

Isn't it in a High Court observation that they are close?

Anyway, as fans we have to consider the moral questions than see the lawyer's version in all this. 

That is still guilty by association. 

[Vesper 30,224]

3 hours ago, KEVINAA said:

We must no longer accept articles from telegraph UK. They are spreading lies for clicks.

 

Chelsea trustees have not agreed to take on 'stewardship' over fears of being front for Roman Abramovich

| @JWTelegraph @SamWallaceTel

https://t.co/U3otE3h9hs

https://twitter.com/TeleFootball/status/1497967689716936704

 

 

what part is untrue?

here is the whole article

Chelsea trustees have not agreed to 'stewardship' following Roman Abramovich statement
Concerns over running a football club from a charity foundation and liability of future decisions are yet to be answered

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/02/27/exclusive-roman-abramovich-still-complete-control-Chelsea-no/

Trustees of Chelsea’s charitable foundation have not yet agreed to Roman Abramovich’s idea to hand them “stewardship” of the club and only learned of the dramatic plan on Saturday.

Although Chelsea’s statement quoted Abramovich as “giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC”, the trustees say that they have major unanswered questions and are still considering the request.

Concerns include whether running a football club as part of the foundation could be compatible with charity law, if some sort of new entity would therefore need to be created, who they would ultimately be answerable to and questions of liability over future decisions.

The trustees currently also have no idea whether Abramovich might be sanctioned by the British Government and the nature of any sanctions.

There has been a meeting of trustees since Saturday’s announcement and lawyers are now working on proposals for a potential structure that could be put before the trustees.

There is a view that trustees would not want to act or be seen as a front for Abramovich, although that was not collectively raised as a central concern in the meeting.

Chris Bryant, who is the chair of the Russia All-Party Parliamentary Group, said on Sunday morning that parts of the media had fallen for the “Abramovich line on ceding control” and said that “unless and until he condemns the criminal invasion of Ukraine I will continue to call for the UK to sanction him and seize/freeze assets”. 

Chelsea’s charitable trust is traditionally focused on delivering schemes in grassroots football or events such as the International Holocaust Memorial Day Workshop and there was considerable surprise on Saturday at the sudden suggestion that trustees could now be running the football club. 

Such questions from the trustees were expected by Chelsea and they will now try to act on Abramovich’s wishes and work through a solution.

The charitable foundation is currently headed by club chairman Bruce Buck but also includes the manager of Chelsea women, Emma Hayes, the executive director of anti-discrimination group Fare Piara Powar, the chairman of the British Olympic Association Sir Hugh Roberston, Paul Ramos and John Devine.

The move to hand over ‘stewardship’ to the Chelsea Foundation’s trustees was strongly criticised by Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, who ahead of Chelsea’s appearance in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, said that the London club had “embarrassed” themselves and that Abramovich’s statement was “cowardly” in passing responsibility onto others.

“I don't think they've handled it really well. I think that the couple of statements they've put out - I think it's been really poor,” Carragher said.

“I think they've let themselves down badly. I think the club came out today and put out a statement as well, but I think that was trying to rectify what Roman Abramovich put out the night before.

“And I don't think they did that well either, really. So it's not worked out well for them at all. I think they've embarrassed themselves.

“They should've been a lot stronger with what they said really and the thing of Roman Abramovich passing (control) onto Chelsea trustees that's not him relinquishing the club.

“Stewardship is not ownership, it's completely different, he's still in charge, he's still running it which is fine but his actual statement to not mention what was going on in Ukraine was really poor.”

'The owners of the top six are insulated from reality'

Neville added: "Maybe myself and most others who saw that statement thought, 'Oh, this sounds like a noble gesture and the right thing to do', but this when you look at who the charity trustees are, Emma Hayes, the Chelsea women's manager, Piara Powar, who set-up Kick it Out, John Devine, it's quite clear they're not going to be running Chelsea football club.

"I think one of the smartest things Roman Abramovich has done over the past 20 years is not speak, not make statements, because the statement he made last night left more questions than answers.

"In fact, if anything, I thought it was a cowardly approach to throw a hospital pass to good people on the charitable and foundation board, when it's quite clear he runs the club.

"These owners of the top six clubs are insulated from reality, they think they can put a smart PR team around them and con us with fancy words, but unfortunately it doesn't work.

"There's no way the charitable foundation of Chelsea are running the club and I'm not quite sure why Roman Abramovich made that statement.

"If he wanted to make a statement of any note, it would've been whether he supports the war in Ukraine or he doesn't support the war in Ukraine."

Abramovich retains full control and ownership of Chelsea FC

Chelsea have made no formal legal approach to the Premier League to change their ownership status and, as far as the club’s relationship with the league is concerned, Chelsea is still owned and controlled by Abramovich.

Chelsea remain insistent that the club is not and will not be for sale, but the move is likely to encourage interested groups and individuals to test Abramovich’s resolve with takeover offers. 

Any change of ownership of any of the Premier League’s 20 shareholders has to be approved by the league executive who have tight controls and an owners’ and directors’ test (OADT) – no such change has been applied for and Abramovich, via his company Fordstam Limited, is still the ultimate controlling party of Chelsea. It also means that if the British Government chose to impose sanctions on Abramovich this week, the club would potentially still be affected.

Although many Chelsea fans claim that nothing will change, the key question now being posed inside football – with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the refusal of Abramovich to directly condemn the action – is whether the owner will ever come back in full capacity. Saturday’s announcement appears to be chiefly a public-relations exercise aimed at protecting the club’s reputation and allowing it to make statements on the Ukraine invasion independent of Abramovich.

Chelsea posted a brief statement on their website on Sunday morning. “The situation in Ukraine is horrific and devastating,” it said. “Chelsea FC’s thoughts are with everyone in Ukraine. Everyone at the club is praying for peace.”

The club would also have to submit any new executives for Premier League vetting and approval. As things stand the key personnel running the club remain in place, including director Marina Granovskaia, who had long been the key figure under Abramovich; chairman Buck; chief executive Guy Laurence; and technical and performance director Petr Cech. Granovskaia, Buck, Laurence and Eugene Tenenbaum - a Ukraine-born Canadian and close associate of Abramovich - make up the club’s plc board.

The Premier League’s OADT lays out the requirements for individuals wishing to own clubs or sit on club boards. Those with criminal convictions are prohibited from doing so as well as those who have reached sporting or football regulations or been found guilty of match fixing.

Further clarification on legal situation needed

Lawyers said that further information was required to clarify the legal situation following Chelsea’s statement. “In a legal context stewardship means no more than the job of supervising or taking care of something, in other words the job of ‘caretaker’,” said Stephen Taylor Heath, the head of sports law at JMW Solicitors, said: “A shareholder or stakeholder may well appoint a nominee to the board of a company to look after their interests. There is a possibility that Abramovich is in fact saying that the trust is to act as his de facto nominee on the board.

“In this regard it would be prudent for the trust to consider at this stage whether in fact it should even accept the concept of acting as stewards … on the basis that may in fact compromise their position.

“Abramovich says that he believes the trust has the best interests of the club at heart as he does. The authenticity of that statement will be brought into sharp focus should the situation arise where the interest of the club may conflict with the interest of Abramovich. What if Abramovich were to seek to call in his loans? What if the club were to seek to take steps to sever legal ownership?”

Abramovich said that he had always seen himself as “a custodian of the club, whose job it is ensuring 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.”

[Vesper 30,224]

5 hours ago, Magic Lamps said:

That would be huge

personally I would never buy their stuff but that might change it lol. their business model is brilliant. Their gross profit margin is consistently above 60%, take from the masses and give to the shareholders. All those brain dead. hip hop fanboys here spend their little bit of wages on overpriced lv stuff. But then again most kind of consumption is a wealth shift from the poor to the rich 

as lvmh shareholder I would don’t  mind that at all tho 

doubt arbault is interested in this investment anyway

rumours had him looking at AC Milan

[Vesper 30,224]

22 hours ago, Romans disciples said:

The west are targeting Roman for his relationship to  Mr Putin . Our golden age is built on Romans leadership and with our bond , remember you are seeing much propaganda . Hopefully he is protecting our great football club from the incompetent weak Johnson. Mother Russia has been Roman's benefactor which has led us to the best club in the world .

We must stand together.

We are will NEVER stand with a murderous war criminal like Putin. 

[Vesper 30,224]

22 hours ago, Romans disciples said:

Roman has so many interests in Russia and has supported Mr Putin as any loyal  Russian Patriot . He also supports many charity and foundations .

why are you on here with Донские казаки (Don Cossacks) patch?

Don Cossacks are some of the main separatist terrorist drivers/shit-stirrers of much the Putin aggressive megalomania in Ukraine, especially in the Donbass region (including the illegal Donetsk and Luhansk renegade states), and in Transnistria, South Ossetia (they committed massive war crimes in the 2008 war), etc.

 

[Blue Armour 4,448]

8 hours ago, Strike said:

as opposed to doing nothing?

Something that accomplishes nothing is the same as nothing.

Of course there is some merit with the club distancing itself further from acrimonious events like this. But it does nothing but slightly improve the image of the club itself.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Blue Armour

[cosmicway 1,333]

What exactly Putin things has Abramovich been doing since 1999 ?
Sold nuke secrets, made or financed propaganda ?
How and when ?
Savvidis of PAOK Salonika of Greece is the one doing it. His tv channel OPEN TV is the pro-Putin channel plus other statements he has made in the past (albeit when things were quiet).
These days after the invasion nobody seems to challenge him, although he is guilty of many midsdeameanours:
A few days ago -after the Ukraine war was declared- he was arraigned by the court for two years for an invasion of the pitch in 2018 carrying a gun (it was a coincidence the date of the trial).
Fifteen days ago PAOK hooligans murdered an innocent young man. They started off as a convoy from PAOK supporters club offices and on the road they killed a man using knives and sickles (!). Then the gang was arrested and they confessed but yesterday in the PAOK match a huge banner was displayed inside the PAOK stadium saying "freedom to our brothers" i.e. the murder gang !
The stupid Grk government are doing nothing about these things, including the Putin connection.
 

[Vesper 30,224]

Liz Truss refuses to rule out Roman Abramovich sanction as 'oligarch hit list' compiled

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich could still face sanctions in the wake of Russia's invasion on Ukraine - despite relinquishing the "stewardship and care" of the club

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/Chelsea-roman-abramovich-sanctions-truss-26341909

 

Foreign Secretary Lizz Truss has refused to rule out slapping Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich with sanctions in the wake of Russia's invasion on Ukraine.

Abramovich made headlines on Saturday evening when he released a statement announcing that he was relinquishing the "stewardship and care" of the club to the Blues charitable foundation until further notice.

The 55-year-old allegedly has links with Vladimir Putin - something he denies - and is one of many Russian oligarchs who could be sanctioned in the coming weeks as Europe bids to deter the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had, wrongfully, claimed earlier this week that Abramovich had already been subjected to sanctions.

However, Truss refused to rule out the Chelsea chief when she was asked specifically about Abramovich on Sunday morning.

"This week we'll be introducing the economic crime bill which will create a lot more transparency around the structures of these companies and make it much clearer what is going on," Truss told Sky News.

"I've compiled a hit list of these oligarchs...I'm not going to say who is on the list, but what I can tell you is there are over 100 billionaires in Russia; we have compiled a hit list of these oligarchs, we're working through and putting the cases together and every few weeks we will sanction new oligarchs.

"There will be a rolling program of sanctions, we will go through the hit list. We're targeting oligarchs private jets, we'll be targeting their properties, we'll be targeting other possessions that they have and there will be nowhere to hide."

Labour MP Chris Bryant had called for Abramovich to face sanctions earlier this week after Putin went ahead with plans to attack Ukraine.

Bryant claimed that Abramovich should be banned from owning a football club in the country and made further calls for the billionaire's assets to be seized.

[Blues Forever 1,232]