Pictures of an Iranian man collecting funds for the UK’s besieged Chelsea Football Club have been widely shared on social media. The stunt in Tehran drew attention from passersby, with some stopping to talk to the man or hold up white and blue club scarfs for the camera.
Last week the UK sanctioned Roman Abramovich, a billionaire business magnate and the owner of Chelsea FC since 2003, as part of a welter of measures targeting Russian oligarchs’ wealth and assets in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
For the time being the Premier League club can still play matches under a special license. But is under an effective transfer embargo and not allowed to sell new tickets or merchandise. A planned sale of the club may still go ahead if Abramovich applies to the British government for permission first.
It is not known if the Tehran stall operator was a concerned fan of the Blues, or enjoying a joke at the club’s expense. A banner behind him read: “Collecting People’s Help for Chelsea [hidden] Club”.
visit the accountability section
In this section of Iran Wire, you can contact the officials and launch your campaign for various problems
comments