Roman Abramovich’s purported representative has threatened a major legal battle against the United Kingdom government and the Football Association (FA), demanding the return of Chelsea Football Club, £10 billion in compensation and an official apology over the circumstances surrounding the club’s sale in 2022.
In a statement circulating in connection with the former Chelsea owner, the representative alleged that British authorities unlawfully constructed the documentation that compelled Abramovich to surrender ownership of the Premier League club.
The statement claimed that the sale was accepted at the time to protect Chelsea’s stability but insisted that the decision would now be challenged through the courts.
“The demands are clear. Immediate return of ownership rights. An official apology from the former FA Chair. Compensation of £10 billion. None of these demands are open to negotiation,” the statement declared.
It further alleged that Abramovich had not breached the rules governing football club ownership in the United Kingdom and accused the former FA chair of acting out of personal interest rather than in accordance with the rules.
The representative reportedly threatened to pursue the matter through the highest available legal and sporting authorities if the case did not receive what was described as a fair hearing.
“We will not accept intimidation,” the statement added, warning that the dispute would be pursued through every available court.
Abramovich’s ownership of Chelsea came under pressure in March 2022 after the British government imposed sanctions on the Russian billionaire following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions froze assets associated with Abramovich and restricted his ability to benefit from the club. Chelsea was subsequently sold to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.
In May 2022, the UK government published a declaration stating that proceeds from the sale would remain frozen and that any authorised use of the money would be restricted to humanitarian purposes in Ukraine.
The fate of the proceeds has remained a point of contention.
In December 2025, the UK government announced that it had issued a licence permitting the transfer of more than £2.5 billion from the sale into a new charitable foundation to support victims of the war in Ukraine.
The government said it remained prepared to take legal action if necessary to enforce commitments concerning the funds.
In the purported statement, Abramovich’s representative also questioned the treatment of other Premier League clubs, specifically citing Manchester City and alleging that the club’s owners had been protected despite numerous alleged regulatory breaches.
The statement argued that the handling of the cases demonstrated inconsistent standards in English football governance.
However, the comparison does not establish that the circumstances surrounding Chelsea’s sale were unlawful. Any such conclusion would require evidence and a determination by the relevant court or regulatory authority.
The authenticity and legal status of the purported statement could not be independently confirmed from the sources reviewed for this report. No verified court filing establishing that Abramovich has sued the UK government and the FA for the return of Chelsea or £10 billion in compensation was located.
The claims should therefore be treated as unverified rather than as an established legal development.
If confirmed, the proposed challenge could reopen questions about the legal basis for Chelsea’s forced sale, the application of sanctions against Russian-linked assets and the limits of government intervention in professional football.
For now, the alleged demand to restore Abramovich’s ownership remains unconfirmed, while the dispute over the frozen proceeds of Chelsea’s 2022 sale remains a documented matter between the former owner and the British authorities.
**The Press Nigeria will continue to monitor developments and update this report if an authentic statement, court filing or official response becomes available.**
