Sunday, August 30, 2026

Abramovich to sell Chelsea, donate proceeds to Ukraine war victims

“Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the Club in this manner,” he said.

• March 2, 2022
Roman Abramovich
Roman Abramovich

I would like to address the speculation in media over the past few days in relation to my ownership of Chelsea FC. As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the Club’s best interest at heart.

In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the Club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club’s sponsors and partners.

The sale of the Club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and Club.

Moreover, I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery.

Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the Club in this manner. However, I do believe this is in the best interest of the Club.

I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements. Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart.

Thank you,

Roman

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Governor of kaduna state Uba Sani

States

Kaduna will be home of sports in Nigeria: Commissioner

The statement disclosed that the stadium will have a 32,000 seating capacity after the reconstruction.

Director General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman

NationWide

State police may be abused by governors, NILDS DG warns

The NILDS boss said that the institute believed that state police was in order.

APC LOGO

Lagos

2027: APC will win all elective positions in Lagos, Eredo chairman says

The chairman said that the party had mapped out strategies to achieve the goal.

Enugu State police

States

Ogun police kill two suspected kidnappers, recover AK-47 rifles

The remains of the killed kidnappers had been deposited at the morgue for autopsy.

No sugar sign

Health

Paediatrician warns parents against excessive sugar consumption in children

Mr Ibrahim advised parents to provide regular meals and encourage children to drink water more.

Scattered ballot papers

NationWide

2027: Lawyers call for stronger action against vote-buying, electoral violence

Ms Asagba urged Nigerians to see their votes as a tool for determining the future of the country.