The Premier League club was granted a license to continue operating, but cannot sell tickets or merchandise until further notice.
A proposed sale of Chelsea F.C., one of Europe’s leading soccer teams, was effectively blocked by the British government on Thursday when it froze the assets of the club’s Russian oligarch owner, Roman Abramovich, as part of a wider set of sanctions announced against a group of wealthy Russian businessmen. The government, in announcing its actions against Abramovich and six other Russian oligarchs, said it had taken steps to ensure Chelsea would be able to continue its operations and complete its schedule. To protect the club’s interests, the government said, it issued Chelsea a license to continue its soccer-related activities, including a Premier League match at Norwich City on Thursday night. The license, which the government said would be under “constant review,” will ensure that the team’s players and staff will continue to be paid; that fans holding season tickets can continue to attend games; and that the integrity of the Premier League, which is considered an important cultural asset and one of Britain’s most high-profile exports, will not be affected.
