EPL club Everton halts sponsorship by sanctioned Russian

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Everton has halted its major sponsorship with companies belonging to Alisher Usmanov. Usmanov is a Russian metals tycoon who has been sanctioned by the European Union. The move came in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Everton says it had “suspended with immediate effect all commercial sponsorship arrangements with the Russian companies USM, Megafon and Yota.” They are Usmanov’s companies. USM sponsors the training facility. Usmanov also paid Everton 30 million pounds ($40 million) in January 2020 to secure an exclusive option on naming rights for its proposed new stadium.