Chelsea women’s boss Emma Hayes has warned the club will have to “navigate a difficult period” after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government.
The Russian owner has had his assets frozen over ties to Vladimir Putin in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Chelsea have been granted a special licence to continue football operations, but must do so under a number of tough restrictions, which prevent them from selling tickets to matches, signing new players or making money from the sales of club merchandise.
The measures, which also include the freezing of television broadcast income and limits on travel expenses for away matches, apply to all of the club’s teams, meaning the WSL champions are affected in the same way as Thomas Tuchel’s men’s side.
“There’s no denying it’s a difficult day,” Hayes said. “It’s important we give it time, the club’s put a statement out and I understand the club’s working with the government to dissect the interpretation of that. For all the questions everyone has, players, fans, staff, we have to give the club time to work through that.
“From my end, I’m a leader of this team and we’re going to have to navigate a difficult period and one where I don’t have all the answers for it. I have an amazing dressing room, amazing fans and amazing employees at the club that deserve the very best for us.”
Telecoms company Three, who sponsor the front of the shirts of both the men’s and women’s sides, have temporarily suspended their £40m deal with the club.
The sanctions have also cast huge doubt over the long-term future of the club, for now at least scuppering Abramovich’s plan to sell the club.
Chelsea can apply for a new licence in an attempt to facilitate the sale, and the club said in a statement that they are hoping to secure amendments to the existing licence that would allow the football side of the business to “operate as normal as possible”.
“There’s so much we don’t know,” Hayes added. “The DCMS will work through that with the club and the club will help educate the DCMS a bit more about how clubs operate and what we need to operate. We’re certainly cooperative with that.”
