Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston wants ‘more robust’ Premier League owners’ test

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston believes a “more robust” approach needs to be taken by the Premier League with regards to its owners’ and directors’ test.

The sanctioning of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich by the UK Government and Premier League amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shone an uncomfortable light on who can take over at football clubs.

Huddleston would not be drawn on Government plans for the fan-led review of football or whether Abramovich had been good or bad for the sport.

But he told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee: “The Government did not make decisions relating to those acquisitions but they were subject to the Premier League’s own owners’ and directors’ tests.

“The Premier League are also assessing that test. We do recognise there is a need for further refinement and more robust owners’ and directors’ tests and the integrity element of that is something that is being pushed.”

On Abramovich, Huddleston added: “Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned and he has been sanctioned for a reason, because he has links to Vladimir Putin.

“That (sanctions) is a signal in itself that in terms of his fitness to run a club, that is clearly not the case now. In terms of historic investment, I can’t comment much further.”

Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2, pledging to write off the Blues’ £1.5billion debt and to divert all proceeds to a new foundation to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine.

The 55-year-old moved to sell Chelsea after 19 years at the Stamford Bridge helm amid Russia’s continued war in Ukraine.

The Government sanctioned Abramovich after claiming to have proved his direct links to Putin’s Russian regime, although Chelsea’s owner has always denied any association.

Huddleston added: “We are working with Chelsea and the fans that the measures we have put in place primarily impact Roman Abramovich and make sure he does not benefit, whilst making sure that where possible we can reduce the impact on the fans and make sure Chelsea can still continue.

“Can the Government allow an entity to fail? Yes it can, whether it’s sport or football or anything else, but what we want to do is make sure the impact of sanctions hits those we want.

“It’s not intended to harm other entities or the overall sports ecosystem.”