Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has spoken for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine forced him to sell the Blues three years ago.

The Russian businessman said in March 2022 that he had no choice but to seek a sale due to accusations that he was an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. An accusation for which Britain sanctioned him later that month. Abramovich sold the club to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly in May 2022, with the £2.5 billion from the sale being placed in a frozen UK bank account to be donated to charities supporting victims of the war in Ukraine.

Abramovich agreed to be interviewed for the book "Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC", where he is portrayed as a man fighting hard for peace from the start of the invasion, including the day after he was poisoned in a Kyiv apartment.

"Maybe one day there will be a situation where I can attend a match and say a proper goodbye, but nothing more than that. I have no interest in taking on any role in a football club, certainly not a professional one. There may be a situation where I can help academies and youngsters, provide better opportunities for people from different backgrounds, if there is an initiative that can make a difference. But as far as ownership or a professional role in a club is concerned, I am done with that in this life", said the Russian, adding regarding the accusations against him:

"There is an old Russian saying: 'The dogs bark, the caravan moves on' and that fits here. No matter what I do, people will always accuse me of something. After all, I did what I did simply to try to help", Abramovich told the book's author Nick Purewal. | BGNES