Chelsea
owner and Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich should have his
assets seized, an MP has told the government.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Labour MP Chris Bryant said he had a
leaked Home Office document which suggested Abramovich should not be allowed
to be based in the UK.
It showed that at the time, Bryant said, Abramovich was of interest to the
government "due to his links to the Russian state and his public association
with corrupt activity and practices".
The document, he said, cited court proceedings in which Abramovich admitted
paying for political influence.
"That is 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?" Bryant added.
A spokesman for Abramovich has declined to comment.
The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "I couldn't comment on individuals in
that way or leaked documents of that type."
A company called USM was sanctioned by the US Government on Thursday night.
However, contrary to reports, this is not the same USM connected to
Everton's major shareholder Farhad Moshiri or the one which sponsors their
Finch Farm training ground.
Downing Street confirmed five further oligarchs who are particularly close
to the Kremlin will be sanctioned, including Russia's youngest billionaire
and former husband of Vladimir Putin's daughter, Kirill Shamalov, the
chairman and CEO of PSB bank Petr Fradkov, deputy president of VTB bank
Denis Bortnikov, general director of United Aircraft Corporation Yury
Slyusar and CEO of Novikombank Georgieva Elena Aleksandrovna.
Making a statement in the Commons, Boris Johnson said that more than 100
businesses and individuals will be tackled in total, including "all the
major manufacturers that support Putin's war machine".
UEFA to move Champions League final from
St Petersburg
UEFA will move the Champions League final from Russian city St Petersburg on
Friday due to the escalating situation in Ukraine.
The final was due to take place at the 68,000-capacity Gazprom Arena in St
Petersburg on May 28 but UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has called an
"extraordinary meeting" of the Executive Committee for Friday to confirm the
decision to move the match.
It is unclear whether the governing body will confirm a new venue for the
final.
The Ukrainian FA also want the 2023 UEFA Super Cup final to be moved from
Kazan in Russia and have asked FIFA and UEFA to ban Russian teams from their
competitions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed an attack on Ukraine with
explosions heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv while blasts were also
reported in the cities of Odessa and Kharkiv.
In other developments:
Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic release joint statement saying they will
not travel to Russia to play World Cup play-off games due to security fears.
Russia are due to play Poland on March 24th at the Dynamo Central Stadium in
Moscow, with the winner then playing either Sweden or Czech Republic in
either Russia or Poland. Sky Sports News has contacted FIFA for comment on
whether the games will be moved.
Sky Sports News has contacted the Scottish FA regarding their World Cup
qualifier against Ukraine at Hampden Park on March 24 and their two UEFA
Nations League games in June in Scotland and September in Ukraine
The Football Association of Ireland has said it is working with the
government, UEFA and the Ukrainian FA over their UEFA Nations League clash
in Lviv on June 14
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Russian airline Aeroflot is
banned from operating in the UK. Aeroflot are one of Manchester United's
major sponsors and described as "the official carrier" of the club.
Second division German club Schalke announced they will remove the logo of
main sponsor Gazprom from the club's shirts and replace it with 'Schalke
04'.
The Ukrainian league - due to restart this weekend after its winter break -
has been suspended after the president announced Martial Law in the country.
Sky in Italy are reporting Shakhtar Donetsk's Italian manager Roberto De
Zerbi is currently stuck in a Kyiv hotel alongside eight staff members.
In the same hotel are Shakhtar and Dynamo Kiev's Brazilian players and their
families and they have released a video on social media asking the Brazilian
government for help leaving the country
There were displays of unity in Thursday's European club action. Barcelona
and Napoli players united behind a banner which read 'STOP WAR'
Former world champion Sebastian Vettel says he will not race at Formula
One's Russian Grand Prix this season as the sport says it is "closely
watching" events but offered no comment on whether September's race will go
ahead.
Boxers Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko urged the international
community to "stay united against Russian aggression" and not to let it
"happen in the Ukraine, Europe and eventually the world". Oleksandr Usyk
revealed he is in Ukraine and said "this war has to be stopped"
Alexander Dyukov, president of the Russian Football Union, is expected to
speak out against UEFA's decision to move the Champions League final at
Friday's meeting.
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