Chelsea to play without shirt sponsor

Telecommunications giant Three has taken the decision to suspend its shirt sponsorship deal with Chelsea.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich was added to the UK government’s sanctions list on Thursday, which resulted in all his assets being frozen.

As the owner of Chelsea, sanctioning Abramovich has had a major impact on the Blues as they have been granted a licence limiting their activities.

The club can still play games, but financial activities have been curbed and it has prompted those associated with the club to consider their positions.

Three agreed a multi-year shirt sponsorship deal with Chelsea, but the company has taken the decision to suspend the agreement.

“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 of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice,” a spokesperson for Three said.

“We recognise that this decision will impact the many Chelsea fans who follow their team passionately. However, we feel that given the circumstances, and the Government sanction that is in place, it is the right thing to do.”

Chelsea face Norwich in the Premier League on Thursday evening and it remains to be seen if Three’s logo is on the shirts.

Hyundai has also announced it is reviewing its agreement with the west London club.

“Hyundai has become one of the strongest partners in football over the years and the company supports the sport to be a force for good. We are currently assessing the situation with Chelsea,” a statement from the South Korean vehicle manufacturer read.

Source: Eurosport

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