Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea, has passed the stewardship of the club to the trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation. 

His statement on Chelsea’s official site reads, “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 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. 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”. 

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Abramovich faces sanctions as part of the pushback from NATO members since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine. Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel had strongly suggested that the club should focus on football, rather than get mired in the politics playing out over this move from Vladimir Putin. 

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Tuchel said, “We should not pretend this is not an issue. The situation in general for me and for my staff, the players, is horrible. Nobody expected this. It’s pretty unreal, like I said it’s clouding our minds, it’s clouding our excitement towards the final. And it brings huge uncertainty, much more to all the people and families who are actually in the moment more involved than us. There are so many uncertainties around the situation of our club and of the situation in the UK, with scenarios like this, that it makes no sense if I comment on it. We are aware of it, we have not maybe so much inside information as you might think. But I think it’s also the right from the team, the staff, and I include myself, to be maybe not political, to do sports and to focus on sports”.