“I would like to address the speculation in the media over the past few days in relation to my ownership of Chelsea FC,” began the statement.
“As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the Club’s best interest at heart. In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the Club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club’s sponsors and partners.
The statement also added that Abramovich would not ask for any loans to be repaid – in effect writing off £1.5 billion in debt – and that net proceeds of any sale would be donated to a charitable foundation that would be used to benefit “all victims of the war in Ukraine”.
“The sale of the Club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and Club.
“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. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery.
