Chelsea sponsor Three suspends club deal after sanctions
One of Chelsea's sponsors' telecommunications company Three has suspended their sponsorship deal with the club following owner Roman Abramovich's sanction by the UK government.
The telecommunications company has reportedly asked Chelsea to remove their branding from their shirts immediately as well as from around Stamford Bridge until further notice.
The other sponsors; Hyundai and Zapp are said to also be 'reviewing' their commercial partnership with the club.
Abramovich had his assets frozen by the UK government due to his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Blues have been blocked from selling home and away match tickets and merchandise sales have also been halted as a result of the sanctions.
Hyundai also shared the following statement: "Hyundai has become one of the strongest partners in football over the years and the company supports the sport to be a force for good. We are currently assessing the situation with Chelsea."
The club's deal with Hyundai is worth £50m whereas the arrangement with Three comes up to £120m in total, which means the west Londoners are facing a loss worth up to £170m.
Chelsea could also face a nine-point penalty if the club ends up in administration as a result of a lack of income.
Were they hit with that punishment today, they would drop to seventh in the Premier League table with Arsenal and Manchester United moving up into the Champions League spots.
The Blues are five points above the Gunners and six points above fifth-placed United.
