Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich hands over power at the club to the Chelsea Foundation
According to Sky Sports, Roman Abramovich has released a statement announcing that he is leaving his post at Chelsea amid Russia’s heavily criticised aggression towards Ukraine.
After buying the club in 2003, the 55-year-old has spent a small fortune of money turning Chelsea into a continental superpower. Investment in the transfer market has often seen the Blues carve a niche for themselves on the field, winning major honours both domestically and internationally.
The Blues have won five Premier League titles, another five FA Cups, three League Cups, two Champions League crowns, and two Europa League trophies under the ownership of the Russian Billionaire. Mr Abramovich celebrated the West London team’s recent Club World Cup triumph from the venue and seemed quite joyous.
The situation grew quite grim in Ukraine after Russia launched a full-fledged war against them earlier this week. The order was given by Russia’s current president Vladimir Putin, who has close ties with the Chelsea owner. The British government have since started to levy sanctions against Russians holding tier-1 passports, including Abramovich.
Amid such a situation, Mr Abramovich has left his duties and handed all the power to the trustees of the Chelsea Foundation. The Russian Billionaire wouldn’t be involved in any decision-making process and long-term planning for the club. The Blues said in his statement that at this moment, the trustees are better equipped to make the right decision for the club at this moment in time.
“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 statement doesn’t say much about how the club will be run from now on or whether there will be any structural changes. The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust has requested the club give more details regarding the arrangement.
It is believed that Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, technical adviser Petr Cech, and coach Thomas Tuchel will hold onto their regular positions for the foreseeable future.
More Chelsea News
- Transfer News: Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele “signed” pre-contract agreement with Chelsea
- Transfer News: Chelsea hesitant to sign Declan Rice amidst Manchester United interest
- Chelsea star Kai Havertz on dealing with raised expectations due to hefty transfer fees
Roman Abramovich has played a vital role in taking our club to where it is today. However, considering the current situation, his involvement in the decision-making process at Stamford Bridge amidst the prevailing tragedy in Ukraine will be in poor taste.
More so, it will also act as an unnecessary distraction for the players and the staff off the field. That’s why his departure at this moment seems a small price for the club’s better future. Just what changes we can expect from this new arrangement remains to be seen.