Chelsea face 74 FA charges over Abramovich-era dealings | OneFootball

Chelsea have been charged with 74 alleged breaches of Football Association (FA) regulations spanning more than a decade, in a case that once again places the Roman Abramovich era under scrutiny.

The charges, announced on Thursday and reported by The Athletic, primarily relate to events between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons, a period when Abramovich’s financial backing fuelled Chelsea’s rise to domestic and European success. According to the FA, the breaches concern football agent regulations, rules governing intermediaries, and third-party investment in players.

It marks the latest fallout from the Abramovich years, which came to a dramatic close in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian billionaire, whose assets were frozen by the UK government due to “close ties with the Kremlin”, was disqualified as a Premier League director before the club was sold to the BlueCo consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Chelsea stress transparency under new owners

In a statement, Chelsea emphasised that the breaches were confined to the Abramovich era and stressed that the current ownership had self-reported the concerns. “During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions,” the club said. “Immediately upon completion, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including The FA.”

Chelsea added that they had demonstrated “unprecedented transparency”, granting investigators comprehensive access to historical files. The club expressed a desire for a swift resolution, noting their gratitude for the FA’s engagement.

The FA has given Chelsea until September 19 to respond to the charges, though the complexity of the case means extensions are likely. UEFA previously fined the club €10m in 2023 for similar issues, and a financial penalty rather than a sporting sanction is once again expected. A Premier League investigation into the club’s historical finances is also ongoing.

For the Boehly-Clearlake regime, the charges are an unwelcome reminder of the opaque accounting practices that defined Chelsea’s past ownership. While the current hierarchy appears confident that transparency will mitigate the fallout, Chelsea’s present owners remain tasked with managing the reputational and financial consequences of Abramovich’s legacy.

GFN | Finn Entwistle