John Malone
Dec 21, 2023 - 01:45

Former Chelsea owner Abramovich loses legal action EU sanctions

Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich lost a legal attempt to overturn EU sanctions for his role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Roman Abramovich, the former owner of the Chelsea soccer team, has lost his legal battle to overturn European Union sanctions imposed on him for his role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The EU court dismissed his claim on Wednesday, stating that the Council did not err in its assessment by including Abramovich's name on the list of sanctions due to his role in the Evraz group and its parent company.

The EU had sanctioned Abramovich, citing his privileged access to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his close relations with him, which allowed him to maintain considerable wealth and provide substantial revenues to the Russian government through his economic activities. The European Council also highlighted Abramovich's role as a major shareholder of the steel group Evraz, one of Russia's largest taxpayers, and his connections to Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilization of Ukraine.

Abramovich's claim for compensation was also dismissed, but he has the option to appeal the ruling. In response to the court's decision, Abramovich's press team expressed disappointment, stating that he does not have the ability to influence the decision-making of any government, including Russia, and has not benefited from the war.

The former Chelsea owner has also faced sanctions in Britain, with his assets being frozen in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As a result, Abramovich sold the Premier League club to a consortium led by Todd Boehly, marking the end of his 19-year tenure as the owner.

The EU has imposed 12 rounds of sanctions on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, targeting various sectors and making over 1,000 Russian officials subject to asset freezes and travel bans. For more coverage of the Russia-Ukraine War, visit https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.