{"id":2123,"date":"2026-05-18T18:06:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T18:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betreview.net\/?p=2123"},"modified":"2026-05-18T18:06:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T18:06:36","slug":"sarvar-ismailov-ex-everton-director-loses-high-court-appeal-against-russia-sanctions-over-putin-links","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betreview.net\/?p=2123","title":{"rendered":"Sarvar Ismailov: Ex-Everton director loses High Court appeal against Russia sanctions over Putin links"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div class=\"hydrate-root sc-1ihz57b-0\" data-component=\"Newsletter\" data-loading=\"lazy\" data-theme-name=\"independent\">\n<div data-theme-wrapper=\"independent\" style=\"display:contents\">\n<aside class=\"sc-y4bm30-0 jwWhkK newsletter-component sc-1ge0fwe-0\" data-newsletter-key=\"receiveIndyHeadlinesNews\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletters\/morningHeadlines1_1.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Morning Headlines\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-1 inRDZn\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-3\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-4 hfveGa\">\n<p><h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-6 fvoxRM cLEJmn\">Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-8 fvoxRM iTZFOX\">Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-7 fvoxRM iGYpOF\">Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 hKcUSR sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-1ix0cah-0 PYnPb sc-y4bm30-10 fUEDPX\"><use href=\"#600f53465147d717\"\/><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk sc-y4bm30-9 iQYNfz\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletters\/morningHeadlines1_1.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Morning Headlines\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A former director of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/everton\">Everton<\/a> Football Club has failed in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/high-court\">High Court<\/a> challenge against the Foreign Office over sanctions linked to his billionaire uncle\u2019s ties to Vladimir Putin. <\/p>\n<p>Sarvar Ismailov was sanctioned by the Foreign Office in 2022 following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/russia\">Russia<\/a>\u2019s invasion of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/ukraine\">Ukraine<\/a> alongside his brother, Sanjar, due to being the nephew of Uzbek-Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov.<\/p>\n<p>He asked ministers to review their decision in 2023, and while the wording of the designation under sanction laws was amended in 2024, he remained sanctioned.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Ismailov\u2019s lawyers told a hearing earlier this month the decision was \u201coutrageously unfair\u201d and that he was being sanctioned \u201csimply for being his uncle\u2019s nephew\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The Foreign Office defended the claim, with its barristers telling the court in London that sanctioning people based on familial relations \u201cserves several rational and legitimate purposes\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In a ruling on Monday, Mr Justice Saini dismissed the claim, finding that the Foreign Office was \u201cuniquely well placed to assess whether sanctions decisions would achieve their intended purpose\u201d and that the decision was not \u201cirrational\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"2\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 esgyiy\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/05\/18\/17\/01\/51311347793_f3acda2d48_o.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/05\/18\/17\/01\/51311347793_f3acda2d48_o.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/05\/18\/17\/01\/51311347793_f3acda2d48_o.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Sarvar Ismailov was sanctioned by the Foreign Office in 2022 following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine alongside his brother, Sanjar, due to being the nephew of Uzbek-Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 YlsWU hgzWpY\">Sarvar Ismailov was sanctioned by the Foreign Office in 2022 following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine alongside his brother, Sanjar, due to being the nephew of Uzbek-Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 gjqsiM\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Social media<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The judge also accepted in his 46-page ruling that it was \u201creasonable to assume\u201d that Mr Ismailov could \u201cexert pressure\u201d on his uncle and that the decision to continue sanctioning him was \u201cplainly connected\u201d with the objectives of the sanctions scheme, including showing that there were \u201cnegative consequences\u201d to associating with those with ties to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/russia\">Russia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201cThe question is not whether the claimant\u2019s designation will of itself bring the conflict to an end.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRather, the question is whether the measure is capable of contributing to the stated objective as part of the overall sanctions regime. The decision to maintain the designation of the claimant is so capable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He continued: \u201cThe claimant\u2019s designation, and others like him who are \u2018associated with\u2019 (Mr Usmanov), makes an important contribution to the overall cumulative impact of sanctions and enhances pressure on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/russia\">Russia<\/a> in respect of its actions in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/ukraine\">Ukraine<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mr Ismailov, who was born in Uzbekistan, joined <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/everton\">Everton<\/a> in 2019 and took up a position on the club\u2019s board in the summer of 2021, but stood down from this role and other positions at the club that November after being charged with a criminal offence, which was later dropped.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"2\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 jUPKwa\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2025\/05\/12\/18\/b20141c59bca877a8245d7df8f99f472Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzQ3MTU3MjY4-2.77169195.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2025\/05\/12\/18\/b20141c59bca877a8245d7df8f99f472Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzQ3MTU3MjY4-2.77169195.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2025\/05\/12\/18\/b20141c59bca877a8245d7df8f99f472Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzQ3MTU3MjY4-2.77169195.jpg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Mr Ismailov, who was born in Uzbekistan, joined Everton in 2019 and took up a position on the club\u2019s board in the summer of 2021, but stood down from this role and other positions at the club that November after being charged with a criminal offence, which was later dropped\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 YlsWU hgzWpY\">Mr Ismailov, who was born in Uzbekistan, joined Everton in 2019 and took up a position on the club\u2019s board in the summer of 2021, but stood down from this role and other positions at the club that November after being charged with a criminal offence, which was later dropped<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 gjqsiM\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->PA Archive<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>His barrister, Hugo Keith KC, said in written submissions earlier this month that Mr Ismailov moved to the UK aged 13 and had never lived in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/russia\">Russia<\/a> as an adult, had no political profile or connections in the country, and had no relationship or access to Mr Putin or anyone else in the Russian government.<\/p>\n<p>He also said there was no evidence that Mr Ismailov had ever supported the Russian government or the war in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/ukraine\">Ukraine<\/a>, telling the court that there was an \u201cutter purposelessness\u201d of sanctioning his client and that the decision was \u201cplainly irrational\u201d and \u201ccapricious\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Jason Pobjoy KC, for the Foreign Office, said in written submissions that the decision to maintain sanctions against Mr Ismailov was open to the department, despite the \u201csignificant impact\u201d on him, as it \u201cfurthers the overarching purpose of the sanctions regime\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He also said that the Foreign Office had a \u201cbroad margin of discretion\u201d in sanction decisions, and that there was \u201cno tenable basis\u201d to say that the decision was unlawful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world 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