Abramovich’s appeal to fans over antisemitism
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH, the Jewish owner of Chelsea football club, has officially launched a campaign to “raise awareness of” antisemitism and to “tackle it in all its forms”.
Writing in the matchday programme ahead of the club’s Premier League fixture against Bournemouth on Wednesday, Mr Abramovich dedicated the game “to the victims of the Holocaust and to the Jewish community”.
He wrote: “On January 27, the world observed Holocaust Memorial Day,” he continued. “The Holocaust was a crime without parallel in history. We must never forget such atrocities and must do our utmost to prevent them from ever happening again.”
A large “say no to antisemitism” banner was displayed on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s ground, before kick-off.
Mr Abramovich told fans: “With your help, Chelsea can play a leading role in this vital area of work and demonstrate to everybody that we are a club open to all.”
Chelsea supporters have repeatedly been accused of antisemitic gestures and chants, often when the team plays Tottenham Hotspur, a club with a large number of Jewish fans.
The new initiative will see the Premier League champions work with groups including the Holocaust Educational Trust, the Jewish Museum, and the Community Security Trust.
Jeff Mostyn, Bournemouth’s chairman, who is also Jewish, said he backed the campaign.