Roman Abramovich sanctioned by UK

Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He is one of seven oligarchs to be hit with fresh sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans. The list also includes billionaires Igor Sechin and Oleg Deripaska, both seen as allies of Vladimir Putin.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "there can be no safe havens" for those who have supported the invasion.

Chelsea FC cannot sell any more tickets for games, its merchandise shop will be closed, and it will be unable to buy or sell players on the transfer market. The government said it would issue a special licence that allows fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches.

Ministers have come under pressure to sanction Mr Abramovich, who said he had made the "difficult decision" to sell Chelsea FC earlier this month. The football club is among the assets frozen as part of the sanctions against Mr Abramovich and its sale has now been stalled.

But the BBC understands the government would consider allowing Mr Abramovich to apply for a special licence to sell the club, providing he can prove he would not benefit from the sale. Mr Abramovich, 55, is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he has denied. The government says Mr Abramovich, who has an estimated net worth of £9.4bn, is "one of the few oligarchs from the 1990s to maintain prominence under Putin".

Mr Abramovich has stakes in steel giant Evraz and Norilsk Nickel. He sold a 73% stake in Russian oil firm Sibneft to state-owned gas titan Gazprom for £9.87bn in 2005. He is believed to own a number of properties in the UK, including a 15-bedroom mansion at Kensington Palace Gardens in west London, reportedly valued at more than £150m.

Chelsea reassurances

While the sanctions against him throw Chelsea's future in doubt, ministers sought to reassure the club it would not be "unnecessarily harmed". In a tweet, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said holding those who have "enabled the Putin regime to account" was the priority.

"I know this brings some uncertainty, but the government will work with the league and clubs to keep football being played while ensuring sanctions hit those intended," she wrote. When asked if being unable to sell tickets and merchandise would hit Chelsea's finances, the culture secretary said: "Sanctions have consequences and that's a fact." London Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed support for the government's actions but said Chelsea fans were "completely innocent" and that it was important to ensure the club was not "sold off in a fire sale".

Telecommunications company Three, said it would temporarily suspend its sponsorship of the club and would "request the removal of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice".

Chelsea has enjoyed major success since Mr Abramovich bought the club in 2003 for £140m, winning major titles including the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup. The club's fans were heard chanting Mr Abramovich's name during a match against Norwich on Thursday evening.

Mr Abramovich has previously said that proceeds of the club's sale would be donated to victims of war. On Wednesday, there were 20 credible interested parties looking at a potential Chelsea takeover, including British businessman Nick Candy.