Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has reportedly been hit so hard by UK Government sanctions that his staff have been forced to buy their own toilet roll, as well as a number of other necessities.
The Russian oligarch was hit with severe sanctions by the UK Government earlier this year following his country’s invasion of Ukraine - a conflict that continues to this day. The sanctions followed Abramovich’s decision to sell Chelsea having been the majority shareholder at Stamford Bridge since 2003.
Now, the full impact of the sanctions laid down on Abramovich has been revealed, with the Russian’s security firm - usually paid £400,000 per month - having had to cut down costs.
According to The Sun, that has seen complimentary toilet roll, bread, milk and tea and coffee be cut. Accommodation has already reportedly been reduced from three flats down to one, with wifi and TV subscriptions having also been taken off of the table.
Elsewhere, Abramovich has also had to sell-off a few of his own personal assets. According to the reports, horses owned by the family are being sold, whilst classic cars are being put into storage.
It remains to be seen how long the Russian remains the owner of Chelsea, with the takeover process progressing. Todd Boehly has already been named as the preferred bidder by Raine Group and is now in the midst of a period of exclusive negotiations.
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However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe lodged a late bid for the Blues, with a statement from INEOS confirming that he had thrown his hat in the ring for the club just under three months after they were originally put up for sale.
The government will only allow the sale of the club if they are sure none of the proceeds will end up in Abramovich's hands. The Blues' owner insisted when first announcing his decision to sell up that the money would all go towards helping the war recovery effort.
In a statement on the Blues’ official website, he wrote: “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 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.
“Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the Club in this manner. However, I do believe this is in the best interest of the club.”
