Tournament sponsored by Abramovich cancelled

A Roman Abramovich-sponsored football tournament involving leading Russian and Ukrainian clubs has been cancelled, organisers said yesterday. The Channel One Cup, which had been held in Israel in January for the past three years, was called off by...

A Roman Abramovich-sponsored football tournament involving leading Russian and Ukrainian clubs has been cancelled, organisers said yesterday.

The Channel One Cup, which had been held in Israel in January for the past three years, was called off by Russian billionaire Abramovich's National Academy Fund (NAF) after Zenit St Petersburg became the latest top Russian team to pull out.

The UEFA Cup winners changed their plans after, unlike previous years, tournament organisers decided not to offer any prize money. Two of Moscow's top teams, Spartak and Dynamo, also declined to take part.

Edelstein said in the past the tournament had offered $2 million in prize money, half of which went to the winner.

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