Chelsea release first statement after sanctions against Roman Abramovich

Chelsea have clarified how sanctions against their owner will affect the running of the club

Chelsea have issued their first statement since sanctions against club owner Roman Abramovich were announced on Thursday morning as a result of his ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin. "Chelsea Football Club has been advised that its owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK Government," the statement read. "By virtue of his 100 per cent ownership of Chelsea FC plc and affiliated entities, Chelsea FC would normally be subject to the same sanctions regime as Mr Abramovich. "However, the UK Government has issued a general licence that permits Chelsea FC to continue certain activities.We will fulfil our men’s and women’s team fixtures today against Norwich and West Ham, respectively, and intend to engage in discussions with the UK Government regarding the scope of the licence. "This will include seeking permission for the licence to be amended in order to allow the Club to operate as normal as possible. We will also be seeking guidance from the UK Government on the impact of these measures on the Chelsea Foundation and its important work in our communities. The club will update further when it is appropriate." The sanctions imposed against Abramovich will prevent Chelsea from buying or selling players, as well as selling merchandise, with the club shop currently closed. The club will still be able to pay all of its staff, but expenditure on away travel will be limited to £20,000 per game, which is likely to cause problems for their away trip to Lille in the Champions League next week. For more information on how sanctions will affect the club's day to day operations, read here. Related links:

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