Hyundai hits brakes on Chelsea deal

LONDON • Hyundai, Chelsea's sleeve sponsor, has become the second company to suspend its relationship with the club after sanctions were imposed on billionaire owner Roman Abramovich following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The South Korean car manufacturer had been the Blues' "official global automotive partner" since 2018. While official training wear partner Trivago and kit partner Nike will stick with Chelsea for now despite the "challenging" situation, Hyundai's decision on Saturday follows mobile company Three, who last week suspended its corporate relationship and requested the removal of its logo from team shirts.

The sale of Chelsea has been suspended because of the sanctions, although the British government is still open to a sale on the proviso no profit would go to Abramovich, who has bankrolled the club about £1.5 billion (S$2.7 billion).

Chelsea reportedly saw several club credit cards temporarily frozen last Friday, while they negotiated the terms of the special operating licence with the government.

The club received positive news on Saturday, with the operating licence amended to allow up to £900,000 to be spent per home match - an increase from £500,000 - and season-ticket holders have now been allowed to buy refreshments.

But Abramovich's woes continued to pile up, after Lusa news agency said on Saturday a rabbi responsible for the certification that allowed the oligarch to obtain Portuguese citizenship last year had been banned from leaving the country and must present himself to the authorities when required.

There is an ongoing inquiry by public prosecutors into how the 55-year-old was granted citizenship. He reportedly claimed he was of Sephardic Jewish descent, a once prominent community on the Iberian peninsula before being expelled, even though he has an Ashkenazi Jewish surname.

Suspicions of money laundering, corruption, fraud and falsification of documents in the process of granting citizenship to descendants of Sephardic Jews have been raised, said Portuguese authorities.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS