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Statement from Roman Abramovich

chelseafc.com

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Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#21

Post by desas »

dljsjr wrote: post #3

For those of us that don't follow Premier League Football, what's the context here?

Abramovich bought Chelsea for £140million in 2003, they were frequently trophyless but one of the top 5-6 teams. Since then he's loaned them £1.5billion and they've won the premier league and European champions league multiple times. They're the current European and Club World Cup champions.

The football club don't own the football stadium or the rights to the name, they're on a ~180 year lease from the fan-owned trust.

Abramovich also owns some expensive property in London. MPs have been asking questions in parliament about why he hasn't been sanctioned given his close links to Putin, he has been named in the Navalny 35 and the US CAATSA

His first step was to hand over the running of the club to a charitable foundation, but then the charity commission started asking questions about it, and the directors started stepping away.

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#22

Post by axiosgunnar »

vernie wrote: post #18
nemo44x wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it implies Ukrainian and Russian (and other!) people. It's very much not taking a stance and if anything agreeing that the war has to be done, people will unfortunately be hurt, and he plans on helping them all. But still supports the invasion.

Calling it a war is already a departure from Russia's "special military operation" messaging.

He might be referring to the """Ukraine nazi government war on the independent people's republics in the Donbas region"""

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#23

Post by chishaku »

buitreVirtual wrote: post #13
giarc wrote: post #4

>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. That's quite the statement coming from one of Russia's biggest oligarch.

Chelsea FC is not profitable, so what proceeds can possibly be donated? Even after winning the Champions League they lost money.

income != valuation

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#24

Post by desas »

axiosgunnar wrote: post #15

> The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. Whoever formulated this is a PR genius. The West will read it as "the [Russian aggression] war in Ukraine". Putin can be made believe it meant "the [Ukrainian nazi government] war in [the Donbas region of] Ukraine".

They don't call it a war in Russia, it's a "special military operation". Calling it a war is perhaps a small step away from Putin for Abramovich, or a mistake.

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#25

Post by smachiz »

buitreVirtual wrote: post #13
giarc wrote: post #4

>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. That's quite the statement coming from one of Russia's biggest oligarch.

Chelsea FC is not profitable, so what proceeds can possibly be donated? Even after winning the Champions League they lost money.

They don't need to be profitable to be worth a lot of money. His asking price is 3B GBP.

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#26

Post by vanilla-almond »

dljsjr wrote: post #3

For those of us that don't follow Premier League Football, what's the context here?

This BBC report has a bit more context, but to summarise:

- Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for £140M

- In total, Abramovich has loaned the club more than £1.5bn.

- Abramovich, 55, is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he has denied.

- Other Russian billionaires have already been the subject of European Union sanctions where their assets have been frozen. The United Kingdom government is yet to sanction Abramovich.

- Billionaire Hansjorg Wyss had told Swiss newspaper Blick he had been offered the chance to buy the west London club.

- Wyss said Abramovich wanted "to get rid of Chelsea quickly" after the threat of sanctions was raised in Parliament.

Chelsea: Roman Abramovich says he plans to sell club: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60585081

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#27

Post by xxpor »

honkycat wrote: post #19

This war just makes 0 sense to me. Are things so horrible in Russia they feel they need to invade and subjugate another country? I realize you could make the same argument for the US invasion of Afganistan, or Iraq, or many many other idiotic blunders the US political class has made to undermine the US's ability to weigh in on these sorts of situations. I suppose the difference is that Ukraine is a healthy liberal de…

The only plausible explanation I've heard (other than Putin is just mentally ill), is that Putin has gotten high on his own supply of propaganda. He truly believes that Ukraine is being run by Nazis, and the US/West are building up to a Russian invasion.

Supposedly during Covid, it's gotten a lot worse due to Putin's extreme isolation tactics. He's been truly surrounded solely by yes men over the past 2 years.

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#28

Post by lnsru »

honkycat wrote: post #19

This war just makes 0 sense to me. Are things so horrible in Russia they feel they need to invade and subjugate another country? I realize you could make the same argument for the US invasion of Afganistan, or Iraq, or many many other idiotic blunders the US political class has made to undermine the US's ability to weigh in on these sorts of situations. I suppose the difference is that Ukraine is a healthy liberal de…

Lots of bad things can happen when one sits alone in bunker. On drugs, with some alcohol, health is declining. Whole world is threatening and isolating. One’s imaginary friends are laughing. It’s time to retaliate and show them all!

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#29

Post by nindalf »

buitreVirtual wrote: post #13
giarc wrote: post #4

>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. That's quite the statement coming from one of Russia's biggest oligarch.

Chelsea FC is not profitable, so what proceeds can possibly be donated? Even after winning the Champions League they lost money.

This is literally a forum made for startups. Businesses that may lose money but are worth a lot. Does that ring a bell?

Abramovich bought a club for £140m, invested around £1.5 billion in it, and now it’s worth twice that. It’s worth is based on what a prospective buyer will pay, not a multiple of earnings.

Re: Statement from Roman Abramovich

#30

Post by alexanderchr »

giarc wrote: post #4

>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. That's quite the statement coming from one of Russia's biggest oligarch.

He even went as far as calling it a war. That's considered borderline treason in Russia by now.
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