A Labour MP has called on Roman Abramovich to be banned from owning Chelsea in light of the latest developments in Ukraine.
Russia invaded their neighbouring country overnight and Boris Johnson has promised a ‘massive’ package of economic measures in tandem with the US and European Union to cripple the Russian economy.
Abramovich has owned Chelsea since 2003 and has overseen the most successful period in the club’s history, with his investment helping the club to countless trophies – including five Premier Leagues and two Champions Leagues.
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There is no suggestion the Russian oligarch is connected to terrorism or involved in any wrongdoing, even though Prime Minister Boris Johnson mistakenly told the House of Commons he’d been sanctioned by the government.
Nevertheless, Labour MP Chris Bryant is adamant Abramovich’s assets should be seized following the news from Ukraine.
On reading this report, Bryant told the Commons on Thursday: “Following some of the reports in The Sun and other newspapers today, I’ve got hold of a leaked document from 2019 from the Home Office.
“Which says, in relation to Mr Abramovich, as part of HMGs [Her Majesty’s Government] Russia strategy, aimed at targeting illicit finance and malign activity, Abramovich remains of interests to HMG due to his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices.
“An example of this is Abramovich admitting in court proceedings that he paid for political influence.
“Therefore HMG is focused on ensuring individuals linked to illicit finance and malign activity are unable to base themselves in the UK and will use the relevant tools at its disposal including immigration powers to prevent this.
“That’s nearly three years ago, and yet remarkably little has been done in relation. Surely Mr Abramovich should no longer be able to own a football club in this country?
“Surely we should be looking at seizing some of his assets, including his £152m home? And making sure that other people who’ve had tier one visas like this are not engaged in malign activity in the UK.”
Earlier this week the government announced it would impose sanctions on three billionaires with close links to President Vladimir Putin as part of the UK’s response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
A spokesperson for Abramovich declined to comment.
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COMMENTS
Is this visiting the sins of the father on the son or plain jealousy? Are Abramovic and Putin identical twins? Even if they were, the environment has turned them to different individuals.
Difficult to understand the reasons behind this witch-hunt.
What has football got to do politics?
What has football got to do with politics?
The West boasts to be a bastion of proprietary, good practice and financial transparency. Yet, the infrastructure of key aspects of their economic institutions and financial institutions is built on questionable finance foundations.
In a country claiming to have been communist – espousing equal distribution of economic resources across the population – it remains baffling how Russian Oligarchs amassed much wealth. Okay, many of them claim to have become billionaires are the fall of communism but the resources of amassing much wealth remain a matter of much speculations.
Nigerians living in the UK have to take out a loan mortgage for a whole 25 years to buy their own homes. Yet, the British financial system sees no wrong in Nigeria-based Nigerian coming to UK to buy a £500,000 property in leafy London (250 million naira). Western Universities are littered with foreign Nigerian students paying tuition fees of around 25,000 pounds or dollars per annum whereas millions of students back at home struggle to buy shoes to wear and barely afford 3 square meals in University.
Abramovich grew up in a communist state in which the very underpinnings of that system forbade wealth accumulation. Yet the west welcomed him with opens arms to buy one of their most prized sporting institutions while turning a blind eye to the circumstances behind his wealth accumulation.
Whilst in office in 2016,Former United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron was heard saying: “We’ve got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain… Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world.”
Yet, a lot of that alleged corruption money from Nigeria finds its way to UK banks, Universities, hospitality sector, entertainment sector and housing markets, to mention but a few.
During the good times, the authorities turn a blind eye. Should the Buhari led administration now militarily annex parts of Chad and Niger Republic (which we have thr military might to do), that is when we will start hearing laughable rhetorics.
“UK to ban Nigeria Students” “UK to freeze the assets of Nigerian citizens” “US to strip Nigerian citizens of their ownership of Shares in Western companies” “EU to stop allowing Nigerians to own property in the Territory” “UK to stop Nigerians from selling on Ebay”
Blah! Blah! Blah! Blah! Blah! These are the sort of headlines that would be plastered on major newspapers across the globe in such an eventuality.
It has to be said that a good number of my fellow Nigerians at home and abroad work bloody hard for money and should not be tarred with corruption brush.
But, when Western countries allow unfettered flow of money from questionable sources to their countries in good times (in which their economies flourished from), to now start making a big deal of this in difficult times smacks of double standards.
Newcastle and Manchester City are owned by foreign concerns – all is well now. Should something monumental happen in the countries owning these clubs, then we will wake up to the sound of another tune.
The war in Ukraine is rather unfortunate. It is difficult to gauge exactly what Putin’s calculations are. But, if Canada and Mexico should wake up one morning and announce joining Russia in a “Military and Defence Alliance”, America and UK will become alarmed.
In the 1960’s when neighbouring Cuba were going to be arming themselves with Russian weapons, USA developed fever leading to the much celebrated Cuban missile crisis as World War 3 loomed.
So, one can see why Putin would be alarmed by having more and more of Russia’s neighbours joining Western institutions like NATO and the European Union (EU).
But is war the answer?
In theory, the Russian strongman inteds to invade Ukraine, depose its pro-western leaders and install a puppet Pro-Russian political establishment who will NEVER seek to allign itself to the west.
A balsy idea, but one that can only been dreamt of by Mr Putin.
I mentioned double standards above. With the west having a history of invading the like of Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan – for reasons they saw as being Justified – do they now have the moral high ground to criticise Russia.
This modern day Tsar has already called their sanction bluff. So, what else can EU, NATO and the United Nations do?
Whatever it is, they have to do it fast as I cry for the innocent men, children and women (and numerous Ukraine based Nigerian footballers) caught up in this inanity.
Expertly crafted piece @ Deo. A big thumbs up. It’s always soul satisfying to spk the truth even if it means dying for saying it. I PASSIONATE HATE BEING MANIPULATED AWAY FROM PERFECT REASONING. GOD BLESS @ Deo.
@ deo
Such is the paradox called Life!
Hypocrisy everywhere!
That said, no matter what; Ukrainians (like every other nationality ) have the right the be who they want to be. They have the right be friends with whoever they chose be friends with. It has to be their choice.
But we all know how life goes. What is, is never the same..
Welcome brodaman Hush. Ever happy to read you on this forum.
Anyway responding to your above reply to Deo, while I hate violence especially to children n vulnerable adults,as well as support the Ukraine being allowed to be a country of their own, I expect we all, must be honest to accept THE SECURITY RISK UKRAINE POSE TO RUSSIA BY BECOMING A MEMBER OF NATO. This is the bone of contention hence the War.To perfectly judge another person’s action, we must first put ourselves in their position. I am neither for Russia, or for Britain or for Ukrainian government, or for USA. I AM FOR THOSE INNOCENT PEOPLE BEING TOSSED ABOUT LIKE PAWNS BY TODAYS DEVILISH GOVERNMENT/SYSTEM, WHOSE ONLY THINKING IS GOVERNED BY THE FOUR EVIL CARDINALS: GREED, EGO, POWER N MONEY, thus losing every sense of reasoning.
@deo, this timely piece made for an interesting read. Thanks!
LMFAO! Which one is Monkey Hunter again.. LMFAO!! Whoever is behind this, is serious o. LMFAO! When I saw it at start I thought the person will get tired, then drop the I.D. LMFAO!