"The membership can verify that it has suspended with immediately effect all business sponsorship arrangements with the Russian corporations USM, Megafon and Yota," said an Everton announcement.
Uzbek-born Usmanov's USM Holdings sponsors Everton's schooling floor, with an preliminary five-year deal announced in 2017. It additionally has an alternative on naming rights for the Toffees' new stadium -- a deal really worth £30 million to the Merseyside club.
The sixty eight-12 months-antique Usmanov, an accomplice of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had already had his assets frozen by the European Union as part of sanctions imposed in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Everton introduced they were "taken aback and saddened by means of the appalling events unfolding in Ukraine," as they called for a "tragic situation" to cease as quickly as feasible.
The Toffees have an Ukrainian player in Vitalli Myolenko, with their assertion saying they were offering the defender and his family with our "full guide" and "will keep to achieve this".
An replace in the Official Journal of the European Union said Usmanov, a long-time enterprise associate of Everton owner Farhad Moshiri, changed into among the 26 individuals targeted with sanctions on Monday. Usmanov contested the EU punishment even as pronouncing Tuesday he become stepping aside, in the meanwhile, from his position as president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE).
"I consider that such decision is arbitrary, and the motives hired to justify the sanctions are a fixed of false and defamatory allegations unfavourable my honor (sic), dignity and commercial enterprise recognition," he wrote in a declaration published on the FIE website. I will use all legal way to protect my honor (sic) and reputation. I hereby suspend the exercise of my duties as the president of the International Fencing Federation powerful immediately till justice is restored."
The EU declaration said restrictive measures covered "an asset freeze and a prohibition from making finances available to the indexed people and entities". Describing Usmanov as a person with particularly near ties to Putin, it delivered: "He has been known as one of Vladimir Putin's preferred oligarchs. "He is taken into consideration to be one among Russia's businessmen-officials, who were entrusted with servicing financial flows, however their positions rely on the will of the President."
