Joe Ricketts - the father of the Chicago Cubs owners now trying to buy Chelsea - once branded Muslims "the enemy" and expressed conspiracy theories about then US president Barrack Obama in leaked emails.
The owners of Cubs - Ricketts' children Tom, Laura and Todd - have launched a bid to buy Chelsea, teaming up with billionaire hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin to form a consortium. The Blues' current owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government earlier this month for alleged links with Russian president Vladimir Putin - something which he denies. Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine in February.
Chelsea are currently operating under special license - restricting most of their revenue streams - due to the sanctions placed on Abramovich and face the prospect of financial collapse if the Russian oligarch doesn't sell the club in the coming weeks. The Ricketts family have owned the Chicago Cubs since October 2009, overseeing the team's first World Series title - the biggest honour in baseball - in 2016.
Three years after that success, however, alleged emails obtained by Splinter - believed to be sent by Joe Ricketts - expressed Islamophobic views and conspiracy theories. These alleged emails were sent between 2009 and 2013, with some sent to his son Pete Ricketts - the incumbent Governor of Nebraska who is a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs.
Joe Ricketts is alleged to have wrote in one email in 2012: "Christians and Jews can have a mutual respect for each other to create a civil society. As you know, Islam cannot do that. Therefore we cannot ever let Islam become a large part of our society. Muslims are naturally my (our) enemy due to their deep antagonism and bias against non-Muslims."
Another email from the 80-year-old - sent to Pete Ricketts in 2010 - is alleged to read: "I think Islam is a cult and not a religion. Christianity and Judaism are are based on love whereas Islam is based on 'kill the infidel' a thing of evil."
Pete Ricketts is alleged to have replied: "I am not sure that your statement is accurate with regards to Islam."
Joe Ricketts is also alleged to have a shared a conspiracy theory about Obama, insisting he was previously known as "Barry Soetoro" and "raised as a Muslim in Indonesia". There is no evidence to support this theory.
Within hours of Splinter publishing the alleged emails, Joe Ricketts released a statement on his official website. "I deeply regret and apologise for some of the exchanges I had in my emails," read the apology. "Sometimes I received emails that I should have condemned. Other times I’ve said things that don’t reflect my value system. I strongly believe that bigoted ideas are wrong."
It's unclear whether this apology was in response to the emails. A day after Splinter's article and Joe Ricketts' apology were published, his son Tom Ricketts told The Athletic his dad was "not involved with the operation of the Chicago Cubs".
"We are aware of the racially insensitive emails in my father's account that were published by an online media outlet," said Tom Ricketts. "Let me be clear: the language and views expressed in those emails have no place in our society.
"My father is not involved with the operation of the Chicago Cubs in any way. I am trusted with representing this organisation and our fans with a respect for people from all backgrounds. These emails do not reflect the culture we've worked so hard to build at the Chicago Cubs since 2009."
