The British government must decide whether to take urgent action to stop Roman Abramovich’s plans, with former Chelsea owner poised to rebel against Keir Starmer
Roman Abromaović sold Chelsea in 2022 and has not returned to football since. (Image: Alexander Hassenstein – UEFA, UEFA via Getty Images)
Manager Roman Abramovich will defy the British government and register a charity to donate the £2.35bn proceeds from the sale of Chelsea. The move comes with these funds still frozen, with the government promising to release the pot only if it is used within Ukraine.
When Abramovich announced the sale of the west London club, he pledged to set up a “charitable foundation to which all net profits from the sale will be donated”. He said the fund would be designated for “victims of the war in Ukraine,” which has caused some controversy.
Looking to move forward, Mr Abramovich has set his plans in motion and the foundation is being registered by former Unisurf chief executive Mike Penrose, the Telegraph reported. However, its mission is inconsistent with the government’s demands and targets all victims of the conflict, not just Ukrainians.
Abramovich had set a March 17 deadline for releasing the funds, but the proceeds are now out of the Russians’ reach. The 59-year-old’s company, Fordstam, saw its funds frozen as a result of Abramovich’s sanctions.
“I can confirm that we are preparing a submission to the Charity Commission to register a new foundation dedicated to supporting victims of conflict around the world. I am confident in the strength of our board, which brings together individuals with extensive experience in humanitarian work around the world,” Penrose said in a statement.
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“The application is expected to be submitted this week. The Foundation’s objectives are consistent with those set out in the Covenant, and we hope that once the relevant legal issues are resolved, the Foundation will be ready to receive donations.”
The charity’s mission is to “serve the public good, save lives and alleviate suffering by providing humanitarian assistance to people in need around the world who are victims of conflict, by making grants (or other appropriate support) to organizations capable of providing relief, humanitarian assistance, post-conflict support and/or reconstruction.”
It is now time for the UK government, which had previously threatened legal action, to take action. They will need to decide whether to take emergency measures to prevent charities from registering.
Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich pressed ahead with his plans (Image: Getty Images)
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A representative for Mr Abramovich said: “We understand that the foundation is currently in the process of registration, which we welcome. Mr Abramovich remains intent on donating funds to humanitarian causes once the relevant legal hurdles are resolved.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously called on Abramovich to honor his words. “Keep your promise and pay now. If you don’t, we are ready to go to court to make sure every penny goes to those whose lives were torn apart by President Putin’s illegal war,” he told the House of Commons in December.
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