Sports

Chelsea Sanctions Spark Fresh Debate Over Football Finance

Published

4 years ago

March 23, 2022

Editor

The chaos engulfing Chelsea following sanctions imposed on Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has sparked fresh debate over the sources of money that fuel Europe’s richest league.

The Premier League club had their assets frozen after Abramovich was targeted by the British government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leaving them to cope with a ban on ticket sales and merchandise.

An expedited sale of the European champions will soon bring the curtain down on 19 years of nearly unbroken success under their 55-year-old owner, who has overseen five Premier League titles and two Champions League triumphs.

Chelsea’s first home game since the sanctions were imposed was against Newcastle, whose own ownership model is also in the spotlight after a controversial takeover in October by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

Rights group Amnesty raised concerns over the purchase, saying it was an attempt to “sportswash” the Gulf kingdom’s human rights record.

Reflecting the intensified focus on off-field issues, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was forced to field questions after the Chelsea game about scores of executions in Saudi Arabia instead of incidents during the match.

Newcastle are hoping to follow in the footsteps of Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City, who have become the dominant force in the Premier League over the past decade on the back of huge investment.

Yet the UAE’s decision to abstain from voting on a UN Security Council resolution to condemn Russian “aggression” towards Ukraine and a recent meeting between City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad — an ally of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin — have led to a renewed focus on City.

Opposition Labour lawmaker Chris Bryant said it would be “good to see the back of” Sheikh Mansour as City owner, while the government criticised his meeting with Assad, saying it undermined prospects for a lasting peace in Syria.

Sports business expert Simon Chadwick told AFP that despite the unease about who is funding Premier League clubs, it is difficult to foresee meaningful change in the short-term, with billionaires from across the globe lining up to buy Chelsea.

“European football can wean itself off money from Russia, China and Saudi Arabia but what’s left? If they leave, who replaces them?” said Chadwick, global professor of sport at Emlyon Business School.

“If we take the example of Chelsea, one of the options for replacing an outgoing Russian is a consortium of an American and Swiss billionaire, so for British football fans the situation is not going to change.”

– Turning point? –
The British government acknowledges the need for a shake-up, publishing a fan-led review into governance of the sport in November.

Recommendations include the creation of a new independent regulator for English football and new owners’ and directors’ tests to ensure “only good custodians” can run clubs.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said earlier this month that the league’s owners’ and directors’ test was under review, with sports minister Nigel Huddleston arguing it needs to be more “robust”.

Huddleston told a committee of lawmakers last week he believes the English game is at a “turning point”.

“The fan-led review is pivotally important,” he said, with the full government response due in the coming weeks. “We recognise there are failures in the structure and governance of English football.”

Questions around ownership and sponsorship models are not unique to the English top flight.

Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain are storming towards an eighth French league title in 10 years, while the Spanish football federation has attracted criticism for taking its Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.

In Germany, Schalke cut ties with state-owned Russian energy giant Gazprom, but Bayern Munich has stood by a sponsorship deal with Qatar despite a fan uprising that disrupted the club’s annual general meeting in November.

Football clubs and the Premier League are under fire for apparently neglecting to ask searching questions about where their money comes from as they chase silverware in a hyper-competitive industry.

Chelsea find themselves caught up in geopolitical currents that extend far beyond football but whether the sport has the appetite for fundamental change remains to be seen.

AFP

Sports

UCL, EPL: Petr Cech Advises Chelsea On How To Win Trophies

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Chelsea legend, Petr Cech, has advised his old club on how to win the UEFA Champions League or the English Premier League.

Chelsea are already out of the Premier League title race this season, and they are at risk of missing out on UEFA Champions League qualification for next season because they are currently not in the ninth position on the Premier League table.

Speaking to The Athletic about Chelsea, Cech said that the Blues need to change their philosophy of signing only young players if they want to win the Premier League or Champions League.

According to the former goalkeeper, the Premier League west London club needs to add experienced players to mentor the young players in the squad.

“You have to look at what you want to achieve. You can have young, talented players, and you can win, but it’s very rare that you manage to do that,” he said.

“If you want to win every season and compete every season, that does not go together.

“You have to change your philosophy. Certain things don’t go together because, in order to win a Champions League or a Premier League… these are really tough competitions, and you have to be consistent.

“You need to have a strong core of the team. And then you can bring young, talented players who will grow faster and then will be held by the experienced players to help navigate them through difficult times when they come.”

Currently, Chelsea have just one player, Tosin Adarabioyo, who is over 28 this season, and the defender has not been playing regularly.

Sports

Enabulele Lauds Okpebholo’s Bold Reforms As Edo Sports Witnesses Revival

Published

5 days ago

April 30, 2026

Editor

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, has commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for what he described as a bold and transformative approach to sports development.

Speaking on efforts to reposition sports in the state, Enabulele noted that with Okpebholo’s visionary leadership, the sector has witnessed renewed growth.

In a statement issued by his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, the Edo Sports Commission boss attributed the progress to the governor’s strategic policies and sustained commitment to youth development, which he said have laid the foundation for a more structured and results-driven system.

“His Excellency has demonstrated clear vision and genuine commitment to sports development. The level of support we are receiving has significantly repositioned Edo as a competitive force in national sporting events,” he said.

He explained that targeted investments in grassroots development are already producing results, with a growing number of young talents being identified and nurtured across multiple disciplines.

“We are deliberately building from the grassroots. A large percentage of our athletes today are homegrown, which speaks to the sustainability of our development model,” Enabulele added.

The Commission, he noted, is also shifting away from an over-reliance on football to a broader multi-sport focus.

Edo State, he said, is now recording improved performances in athletics, combat sports, and other emerging areas.

“Our goal is to strengthen all sports. The results are beginning to show across different disciplines, and this is only the start,” he said.

Enabulele further pointed to ongoing improvements in sports infrastructure and athlete welfare as critical factors in sustaining performance and encouraging wider participation among young people.

“We are building a system that will endure. With the continued support of the governor, Edo is on course to becoming a dominant force in sports at both national and international levels,” he stated.

He expressed confidence that the current momentum would translate into greater achievements for Edo athletes, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to excellence, discipline, and long-term development.