It Wasn't Abramovich Who Bought Chelsea

Recently the name of Russian oligarch and Duma deputy Roman Abramovich, the one who encroached upon one of Europe's largest football club, has become the focus of attention in the West
Recently the name of Russian oligarch and Duma deputy Roman Abramovich, the one who encroached upon one of Europe's largest football club, has become the focus of attention in the West. Experts say the deal has become the largest one over the whole of the British football history. Britain's ex-minister of sport demanded that a special governmental investigation concerning the new owner of Chelsea, the governor of Russia's Chukotka must be initiated

Roman Abramovich, 36-year-old deputy of Russia's State Duma, the governor of Chukotka and businessman bought the Chelsea British football club.
 
Roman Abramovich bough over 50 percent of Chelsea Village shares (84.908, 506 shares), Chelsea club belongs there. The sum of the deal made up about 60 million pounds ($99.5 million). At that the new owner will have to settle the debts of the football club to the sum of about 80 million pounds. Abramovich promised to do it.

Britain's Ex-Minister of Sport and ordinary Chelsea fan Tony Banks immediately demanded that the government should initiate investigation of the deal, Russia's Sport-Express Online reports with reference to Reuters. Banks wants to make sure that this man actually suits to be the Chelsea owner. "The club has been sold to a man who is a stranger to us," Banks says.

America's Time reminds that Abramovich controls over 80% of Sibneft, Russia's fifth large oil company, 50% of the Russian Aluminum monopoly and 26% of the Aeroflot airlines. In 2002, Forbes rated Abramovich the second richest man in Russia. His fortune is estimated at $5.7 billion; he is rated 49th in the world hierarchy.

BBC reports, details of the deal concluded between Roman Abramovich and Ken Bates, the previous owner of the football club (Bates bought the club for 1 pound in 1982, at that assumed Chelsea's debt liabilities to the sum of 1.5 million pounds) had been finally coordinated Tuesday late. Despite the change of the Chelsea owner, Bates will all the same remain the formal head of the football club.

Russia's news agency RIA Novosti reports the deal has become the largest one over the whole of Britain's football history.
Roman Abramovich says he is happy to conclude the deal and buy one of Europe's largest football clubs. "We have resources and ambitions that are quite enough to achieve a lot, especially that the club's potential is great." Ken Bates says it is a great deal for Chelsea Village, the club and its fans. "Under the present-day competition conditions on the football market, it is an advantage for Chelsea because the new owner with deeper pockets may bring Chelsea to a differently new level."
 
The peak of Chelsea's popularity falls on the 1990s when the London club bought famous Ruud Gyllit. At the end of the 2002-2003 season, Chelsea was rated 4th among the 20 teams of the English premier league.

It is important to mention that formally Abramovich has no right to run any business structures as he is the governor of Chukotka. GaZeTa reports that Chukotka representative in the RF Federation Council Alexander Nazarov commented upon the deal the following way: "It was not Abramovich himself who bought Chelsea, but the Russian business structures to which he had belonged some time ago." Nazarov says that now the governor of Chukotka doesn’t belong to the structures.