Roman Abramovich's visa turmoil does not spell doom for Chelsea

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Roman Abramovich‘s business empire has always been shaped by political impact and that his financial interests in the United Kingdom have been entangled in bureaucratic jostling hardly comes as a surprise.

    The diplomatic tension between the UK and Russia has escalated following the attempted assassination of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. Russian investors in the country and their visas have subsequently come under scrutiny.

    After Abramovich’s application for a ‘Tier 1 Investor Visa’ – otherwise known as a Golden Visa – was delayed, it became apparent that the current political climate played a part. Following a period of lying in wait, the Chelsea owner sprung into action in recent days.

    The 51-year-old applied for an immigration visa at the Israeli embassy in Moscow before travelling to Israel, where he attained citizenship and a passport which enables him to visit the UK for up to six months at a time. Abramovich then withdrew the UK visa application.

    All of this was thrown under the spotlight when Chelsea announced that the redevelopment project to increase the capacity at Stamford Bridge was being put on hold.

    The architectural upgrades to the stadium would’ve made it one of the finest venues across the English football landscape. With plans to add 19,000 seats, the ground’s capacity was set to rise to 60,000. The billion-pound investment the magnitude of such an advancement would entail however hardly seems prudent given the circumstances.

    The fact that the entire process would force Chelsea to find a new home ground for the next four years only compounds the inconvenience the project comes attached to. Twickenham have rejected the Blues’ proposal while Wembley – the venue Tottenham used this past season during their own stadium upgrade – is the subject of a bid from Shahid Khan, the owner of Fulham who gained promotion to the Premier League.

    Away from the structural advances to Stamford Bridge though, Abramovich’s situation will likely have little bearing on Chelsea. His well-documented history as a friend and ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin has possibly seen him caught in the crossfire of the ongoing political rift between Russia and the UK.

    If the Russian oligarch were to pull out of the club completely, the implications would of course be huge. The bulk of Chelsea’s investment has come from Abramovich’s deep pockets and the debt the Premier League outfit have racked up since his takeover in 2003 would handicap them on a competitive level as they attempt to cope with the financial fallout.

    Marina Granovskaia has been overseeing things at Chelsea.

    Marina Granovskaia has been overseeing things at Chelsea.

    But it’s unlikely to come to that. Despite his newly acquired Israeli passport, Abramovich won’t be able to come and go as he pleases with UK immigration law preventing business visitors from living “in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits”.

    That should hardly affect his role at Chelsea though having delegated the day-to-day running of the club to Marina Granovskaia in recent years.

    The managerial situation for the FA Cup winners is another cause for concern and while Abramovich will have a say in the decisions, Granovskaia is likely to be the one handling the negotiations.

    The complexities of Abramovich’s visa situation can make the mind swirl but one cannot read too much into its impact on Chelsea.

    The decision to hold off on the stadium redevelopment does deny the surrounding community of economic and social growth but the overall running of the football club largely remains unaffected.

    Chelsea fans in particular would’ve understandably been concerned about their club owner’s turmoil but rest assured that there’s no reason to feel Blue. Stamford Bridge is not falling down.

    Recommended