SHIRT NOTICE
Chelsea sponsors Three SUSPEND £120m shirt deal with Blues also set to lose £600,000 per game after Abramovich sanctions
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THREE have suspended their £120MILLION shirt sponsorship contract with Chelsea following the Government's crackdown on Roman Abramovich.
The telecommunications provider became the west Londoners' main shirt sponsors ahead of the 2020-21 season in a three-year deal.
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But they've decided to halt their deal with the Blues following the UK Government's decision to freeze Abramovich's assets.
The sanctions come due to the oligarch's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin - who began an a fortnight ago.
A statement read: "In light of the Government's recently-announced sanctions, we have requested Chelsea Football Club temporarily suspend our sponsorship of the club including the removal our brand from the and around the stadium until further notice.
"We recognise that this decision will impact the many fans who follow their team passionately.
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"However, we feel that given the circumstance, and the Government sanction that is in place, it is the right thing to do.
"As a mobile network, the best way we can support the people of Ukraine is to ensure refugees arriving in the UK from the conflict and customers currently in Ukraine can stay connected to the people who matter to them.
"Therefore, we are offering connectivity packages to all Ukrainians arriving in the UK, and those in the Ukraine."
Three's decision to pause their relationship with Chelsea means Thomas Tuchel's side are unlikely to wear their regular kit for Thursday night's clash with Norwich City.
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They've accepted it may not be possible for the Blues to find a suitable replacement kit in time for the Premier League match at Carrow Road.
Chelsea are also sponsored by sporting apparel giants Nike - who have yet to issue a statement on the sanctioning of Abramovich.
The Government's decision to sanction Abramovich, 55, has had serious ramifications for the club - which he was hoping to offload for £3BILLION to prevent having it seized.
Abramovich - who has been deemed to have been a Krelim crony of Putin's - has been banned from selling the club and from injecting more money into the SW6 outfit.
But the Government will consider an application for a licence to sell the club - although Abramovich won't pocket a penny for it.
American billionaire Todd Boehly is eager to snap up the club and is waiting to hear back on an offer he and Swiss business partner Hansjorg Wyss have made.
The Blues - who will be docked nine points if they go into administration - have been BANNED from buying or selling players or agreeing new deals with players on expiring deals.
Additionally, they won't be able to sell club merchandise and tickets and have had their travel costs limited to a paltry £20,000 per game.
Only season ticket holders - around 28,000 - will be allowed into Stamford Bridge and the lack of match-day revenue is set to cost the Blues £600,000 per home game.
The sanctions imposed on the west Londoners could also see them miss out on a whopping £97MILLION in sponsorship money.
An excerpt of the government's decision to sanction oligarch Abramovich read: “This association has included obtaining a financial benefit or other material benefit from Putin and the Government of Russia.
"This includes tax breaks received by companies linked to Abramovich, buying and selling shares from and to the state at favourable rates, and the contracts received in the run-up to the 2018 World Cup.
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"Therefore, Abramovich has received preferential treatment and concessions from Putin and the government of Russia.”
It later continued: "Abramovich…has been involved in destabilising Ukraine and undermining and threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."
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