UK sanctions Chelsea owner Abramovich

Move puts the future of club in doubt as officials accuse him of Putin connection

Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich was one of seven so-called Russian oligarchs to have their British assets frozen by the United Kingdom government on Thursday as part of its response to Moscow's actions in Ukraine.

The UK government announced "a full asset freeze and travel ban on seven of Russia's wealthiest and most influential oligarchs", claiming that their business empires, wealth, and connections are closely associated with the Kremlin.

Those sanctioned also include Igor Sechin, the chief executive of Russian oil giant Rosneft, businessman Oleg Deripaska and four others. The government said the seven individuals had a "collective net worth" of 15 billion pounds ($19.8 billion).

The sanctions mean Abramovich will not be able to push ahead with his plan to sell the English Premier League club, and he will not be allowed to make any money from his assets in the UK.

The government said a special license would allow Chelsea to continue playing in the league, staff to be paid, and existing season ticket holders to attend matches. The BBC confirmed that this means the club can not now sell any additional tickets for games and its merchandise shop must be closed.

With Chelsea's future in doubt, ministers sought to reassure its fans. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the sanctions target those who have "enabled the Putin regime".

"I know this brings some uncertainty, but the government will work with the league and clubs to keep football being played while ensuring sanctions hit those intended," she wrote in a social media post. "Football clubs are cultural assets and the bedrock of our communities. We're committed to protecting them."

A government document released by the Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said Abramovich has had a "close relationship for decades" with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

The document cites Abramovich as having a "significant shareholding in, and exercising effective control over, the steel manufacturing and mining company Evraz Plc".

It said: "Evraz Plc is or has been involved in providing financial services, or making available funds, economic resources, goods or technology that could contribute to destabilizing Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine-which includes potentially supplying steel to the Russian military, which may have been used in the production of tanks."

Lawmakers in Britain have criticized the UK government for not acting fast enough to take action against Abramovich and other Russian business people, compared to the European Union and the United States, noted the Reuters news agency.

The UK and its allies have been intensifying sanctions against individuals and companies that they claim are linked to Putin since conflict in Ukraine broke out last month.

The UK has imposed sanctions against 220 individuals and legal entities from Russia since the beginning of the military operation in Ukraine, whereas the total number of Russian individuals and entities on London's sanctions list exceeds 500, according to a TASS news agency report.