Everton-linked Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has had his assets frozen by the EU in a direct response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Uzbekistan-born Mr Usmanov’s USM Holdings business sponsors Everton’s Finch Farm training ground, with an initial five-year deal being announced by the club back in 2017.
Mr Usmanov also has an option on a £30m deal for the naming rights on Everton’s new stadium currently being constructed in Liverpool docks.
The EU said its council has found 26 people and one entity “subject to restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.
Mr Usmanov has an option on a £30m deal for the naming rights on Everton’s new stadium
Everton Football Club
A statement in an update in the Official Journal of the European Union confirmed that one of those facing measures was Usmanov.
The EU said the measures, which now now apply to a total of 680 individuals and 53 entities, would include “an asset freeze and a prohibition from making funds available to the listed individuals and entities” and “a travel ban applicable to the listed persons prevents these from entering or transiting through EU territory".
The update described Mr Usmanov as a “pro-Kremlin oligarch with particularly close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin".
It continued: “He has been referred to as one of Vladimir Putin’s favourite oligarchs. He is considered to be one of Russia’s businessmen-officials, who were entrusted with servicing financial flows, but their positions depend on the will of the President.”
It comes as Russia has been banned from all UEFA and FIFA competitions until further notice.
A joint statement between FIFA and UEFA released on Monday read: “Following the initial decisions adopted by the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee, which envisaged the adoption of additional measures, FIFA and UEFA have today decided together that all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice.
“These decisions were adopted today by the Bureau of the FIFA Council and the Executive Committee of UEFA, respectively the highest decision-making bodies of both institutions on such urgent matters.
“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people.”
