Penalties for Chelsea?

Business Daily

BBC

News, Business

4.4 • 796 Ratings

🗓️ 16 March 2022

⏱️ 17 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What now for Chelsea FC? After the UK government imposed sanctions on Russian owner Roman Abramovich, the club has been denied access to the funds that enabled investment in some of the world's best players and helped it become one of the biggest clubs in European football. No income, either, from ticket or merchandise sales can be made by the club, throwing its short term future into doubt. It's unclear whether Chelsea can even pay its squad and staff next month, such is the punishing nature of the sanctions put upon Mr Abramovich over his ties to the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So how will this play out on and off the pitch? We speak to Kieran Maguire who lectures in football finance at the Liverpool University; Justine Walker, an anti-money-laundering compliance specialist based in the UK; Jai McIntosh, a sports writer and Chelsea fan and former Chelsea player Pat Nevin. The programme is presented by Ed Butler and is produced by Elizabeth Hotson and Russell Newlove.

Picture: Chelsea FC's crest Credit:PA

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi there, my name's Ed Butler. Welcome to Business Daily from the BBC. Today, what's to be done with Chelsea Football Club?
0:08.7	The European champions mired in uncertainty as the club's Russian owner becomes the target of sanctions.
0:15.7	Abramovich has links to Putin, who is mounting a barbaric, an evil attack against the people of Ukraine.
0:23.5	We, in this department, stand with the people of Ukraine.
0:27.0	Roman Abramovich has had his assets frozen, thanks to the British government's moves.
0:32.2	This includes Chelsea FC, leaving some blues fans feeling blue.
0:36.8	We owe a lot to Roman. I mean, he's been here 20 years.
0:40.7	Surely the government could have acted if it was some underlying issues.
0:45.0	We don't know where our club will be in future.
0:47.9	This is very shocking for us.
0:49.9	Why take away our fun? It's bang out of order.
0:53.3	That's all to come in Business Daily from the BBC.
0:57.9	There's still a fair bit of loyalty among Chelsea fans for their billionaire patron.
1:07.1	These chants were recorded among supporters. patron. Oh, Bona Bramovich! Oh, Bona Bramovich!
1:18.0	These chants were recorded among supporters earlier this month, as other football fans were marking support for the victims of the Ukraine war.
1:21.4	Even the club manager, Thomas Tuchel, has told Chelsea supporters to be more respectful.
1:26.6	Outside the stadium, many sound divided over what to make of the man
1:30.7	who's financed their rise to the elite of European football.
1:35.2	He's now widely condemned as an ally of the Russian president.
1:38.4	What do you think of Roman Abramovich?
1:40.3	Get rid of Abramovic by all means,
1:42.3	but why make the fans and the football club suffer?
	...

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