Boehly’s takeover of club ‘can save millions of lives’

Chelsea’s completed takeover can save “millions of lives”, according to the new boss of what will become the biggest charitable donation to war victims in history.

Mike Penrose, who returned this week from a scoping mission in Ukraine, told Telegraph Sport he should be able to start drawing the funds for the legal process within days. “We are coming up with a plan that will really revolutionise humanitarian aid,” the former Unicef UK chief executive said.

The Government finally agreed on Roman Abramovich’s sale on Tuesday, ensuring proceeds from Todd Boehly’s £2.5billion purchase can be transferred to a holding account. “We will now begin the process of ensuring the proceeds of the sale are used for humanitarian causes in Ukraine, supporting victims of the war,” ministers confirmed yesterday.

It was Abramovich’s idea to launch the foundation when he put the club up for sale in March. But Penrose, a vastly experienced humanitarian charity executive who first came into contact with Chelsea while chairing Soccer Aid three years ago, maintains he has never met him.

Penrose said projects could now potentially get under way in Ukraine within weeks. “As far as I know, this will be the biggest conflict and humanitarian fund,” he added as he pledged to prove to the Government that Abramovich will have no influence on the new organisation.

“This is an independent foundation that will have a huge impact on the lives of millions of people around the world,” he said.

Penrose has been in regular contact with the Government while in Ukraine in recent weeks.

He said he had already targeted some “world renowned” humanitarian and business executives to sit on a newly-created independent board.

Although the plan is for the vast majority of the funds to sit in an escrow account while Whitehall carries out checks and balances, Penrose explained he will be allowed to take out a fraction of the cash as soon as the club sale goes through so the lawyers and charity specialists can help him with a legal framework. The working title for the new fund is “The Foundation for the Victims of Conflict”.

“What I’m really keen to do here is to have the greatest impact and to be able to reform the humanitarian sector using this money in such a way that we can meet needs quicker,” Penrose added.

“This is the type of money that could save millions of lives.”