LONDON: As part of new UK government sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich was hit with an asset freeze and travel ban on Thursday.

Leading industrialist Oleg Deripaska, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller are among those sanctioned, according to the government.

For weeks, there has been speculation about whether Roman Abramovich might be included in the targeted move against Russian oligarchs seen as close to the Kremlin.

After buying Chelsea in 2003 and bankrolling its domestic and European success, Abramovich revealed last week that he was selling the English Premier League club.

The UK government estimated his net wealth to be £9.4 billion (11.1 billion euros, $12.2 billion), but stated the penalty on Chelsea would be mitigated by allowing the club to continue operating.

The ministry said in a statement that a special licence “authorises a number of football-related activities.”

“This includes permissions for the club to continue playing matches and other football-related activity which will in turn protect the Premier League, the wider football pyramid, loyal fans and other clubs,” it added.

Deripaska was once a business associate of Abramovich, while Sechin has been dubbed as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “right-hand man” by officials.

Miller, VTB bank chairman Andrey Kostin, Transneft president Nikolai Tokarev, and Bank Rossiya chairman Dmitri Lebedev are among the four people in his inner circle.

According to the statement, the seven have a combined net worth of almost £15 billion.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the sanctions “the latest step in the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people”.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss added: “Today’s sanctions show once again that oligarchs and kleptocrats have no place in our economy or society.

“With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression. The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame.”

For the latest Sports News Follow BOL News on Google News. Read more on Latest Sports News on oldsite.bolnews.com