(Reuters) -Premier League club Chelsea, owned by Russian Roman Abramovich, issued a statement on Sunday saying they are praying for peace and described the situation in Ukraine as ‘horrific’.
Abramovich announced on Saturday that he was giving “stewardship and care” of the club to trustees of the London side’s foundation.
The Russian’s comments came after calls in Britain that he be sanctioned over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine but did not include any reference to Ukraine or the conflict.
“The situation in Ukraine is horrific and devastating. Chelsea FC’s thoughts are with everyone in Ukraine. Everyone at the club is praying for peace,” Chelsea said on their website.
Abramovich remains the club owner and his announcement on Saturday did not reveal why he was giving the foundation stewardship nor any details on how the arrangement would work.
Several Russian individuals and entities have been put under sanctions by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after Moscow launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea this week.
Abramovich has not faced any sanctions but British opposition lawmakers said on Thursday that he should be included. One said the UK should seize his assets and bar him from owning the football club.
The chairman of the Chelsea foundation trustees is American lawyer Bruce Buck who is also chairman of the club as a whole.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said on Friday that uncertainty over Abramovich’s future was weighing on the club ahead of Sunday’s League Cup final.
Chelsea enjoyed unprecedented success after Abramovich took over in 2003, winning five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League twice.
(Reporting by Simon Evans in Manchester and Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
