Former Unicef ​​UK director leads Chelsea sale to raise money for charity when deal hit obstacles | Business Newsletter

A former Unicef ​​UK executive will lead the charity being set up to receive the proceeds from the £2.5 billion sale of Chelsea Football Club proposed by Roman Abramovich exports, even as the controversial sale ran into a significant setback.

Sky News can reveal that Mike Penrose, who has spent nearly three decades working in humanitarian causes and is now in eastern Ukraine, has been working for several weeks on a plan to create a new fund.

He was enlisted at the club’s request but is not believed to have any contact with Mr . Abramovich yourself at any point.

Mr. Penrose, whose other former roles include president of Soccer Aid, the football charity, says the charity could change millions of lives.

The foundation is made of sell Chelsea He said:

“If we can remove politics from the founding of this platform, we can do something remarkable and change the lives of millions of people affected by conflict.”

Mr Penrose’s comments come as it is reported that preparations for a new charity can be made if the government and current owners of Chelsea are unable to resolve the impasse over Chelsea. structure of the agreement.

Insiders say accusations from Whitehall officials that Mr Abramovich himself obstructed the government’s ability to promote the sale of the club by underscoring political stakes caused the deal to fall apart. broken.

Mr Abramovich has insisted that the entire £2.5bn proceeds from the sale of his stake in Chelsea should be donated to war victims, but that would include around £1.5bn going to was created from the repayment of a loan to Chelsea’s parent company by another medium connected to the magnate.

Read more: Selling Chelsea ‘at risk’ as ministers press Abramovich for new guarantees on sale

Government officials told Sky News and other news outlets on Monday that they have serious doubts about Mr Abramovich’s approach to loan repayment, raising new concerns that the club could faced financial collapse.

Departure owners said in a statement earlier this month that the £2.5 billion generated from the sale to a majority-funded Clearlake Capital consortium would “be deposited in a closed bank account tapes of the United Kingdom with the intention of giving 100% to charitable causes”.

“UK Government approval will be required for proceeds to be transferred from a blocked UK bank account,” Chelsea said on May 7.

However, negotiations between the two sides have hit a snag in recent days, including suggestions that some of the proceeds could go towards grassroots football projects in the UK.

The license that has allowed Chelsea to operate – under significant restrictions – since sanctioned Mr Abramovich expires at the end of this month, with more deadlines for football’s governing body meaning owners are imminent. new property.

Mr. Penrose’s involvement in the fund could be significant because of his international reputation in the third sector.

At one point being held hostage during the war in Chechnya, he told Sky News he was completely independent of Chelsea and its owners.

“The only contact I have with the owner is through the chairman of Chelsea, and one of his spokesmen,” he said.

“I never met him, nor did he convey any message to me.

“The only request I received was to use my experience and contacts to create an Organization that would have the greatest impact on people affected by the conflict in Ukraine and in other countries affected by the conflict. affected by conflict globally.”

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Mr. Penrose has also run Action Contre La Faim, one of France’s largest non-profit organisations, served as Save the Children’s global humanitarian director, and as a humanitarian and conflict consultant. for the British government during the Iraq War.

“We have some of the most experienced humanitarians in the world, including former CEOs of charities, Heads of the United Nations, conflict experts and fund managers,” he said. ready to create the world’s leading humanitarian foundation.”

“I have never been asked to do anything other than create a foundation that can have the greatest impact on those affected by the conflict, especially in Ukraine.”

The collapse of the Chelsea sale will mean billions of pounds will not go to charity and the future of Chelsea FC is in serious doubt.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Chelsea both declined to comment.