Russia’s position in the global athletics community took a major hit when the nation launched an invasion in Ukraine last week. Russia was booted out of World Cup qualifying, lost Champions League Final hosting privileges and saw countless governing bodies refuse to play Russian teams.
And now, one of the world’s largest soccer clubs is going to face a seismic change.
On Wednesday, longtime Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich — a Russian oligarch worth upwards of $15 billion — announced that he would sell the club. The news came in wake of looming UK sanctions against Russian oligarchs that could have seen Abramovich lose his assets (one MP called for the government to seize control of Chelsea).
Under Abramovich’s ownership, Chelsea went from a mid-table club to a global soccer power. Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League twice (including last year), the Club World Cup, five Premier League titles and five FA Cup titles since Abramovich purchased the club in 2003.