Roman Abramovich really is a Chelsea fan – and we have a 134-page ruling from Mr Justice Christopher Clarke to prove it. The ruling, dealing with a Siberian oil dispute, reveals a great deal of information about Abramovich’s lifestyle. It emerged that as much as 92 per cent of the time he spent in England in any given year was specifically connected with Chelsea matches, rather than any personal or professional ties. Mr Justice Clarke rules that the club, on which he has lavished around £500m, was a ‘hobby and a leisure interest’. ‘It is not a business investment,’ the judge determined.
Roman Abramovich really is a Chelsea fan – and we have a 134-page ruling from Mr Justice Christopher Clarke to prove it. The ruling, dealing with a Siberian oil dispute, reveals a great deal of information about Abramovich’s lifestyle. It emerged that as much as 92 per cent of the time he spent in England in any given year was specifically connected with Chelsea matches, rather than any personal or professional ties. Mr Justice Clarke rules that the club, on which he has lavished around £500m, was a ‘hobby and a leisure interest’. ‘It is not a business investment,’ the judge determined. ‘The sums that Mr Abramovich has given to the club far exceed any return that could possibly be expected.’ The credit crunch has hit home at Stamford Bridge with manager Luis Felipe Scolori being told that he will have to sell before he buys in the January transfer window. This may not be much of a problem for Chelsea, given the way they are playing, but it may tend to bring down transfer prices.