Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem has been relegated from the Eredivisie following an eighteen-point deduction due to links with Russian billionaire and former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Vitesse, a former club of Warriors captain Marvelous Nakamba, were already bottom of the table before the deduction and have now officially been relegated from the Dutch top flight for the first time in 35 years

The sanction came after the Dutch FA (KNVB) accused the club of providing inaccurate information, and withholding information during investigations to determine if the club violated international sanctions against Russia.

Vitesse and Chelsea previously had a close relationship, with the Blues often sending its youngsters on loan to Arnhem, but both denied Abramovich had any official or financial involvement in the Dutch club.

The statement by KNVB reads: “The amount of the sanction is based on the exceptional seriousness and extent of the violations of the licensing system. This includes providing incorrect information that was important for the forensic investigation into possible violations of sanctions legislation, and withholding information important for the assessment of Vitesse’s continuity.”

The Dutch ministry of economic affairs and climate change is still investigating any ties to Abramovich, in the light of EU sanctions imposed against the Russian oligarch in 2022, part of an international effort to target wealthy and powerful Kremlin allies in response to the invasion of Ukraine.