
AVRAM GRANT’S father claims Chelsea sacked his son because Roman Abramovich caved in to anti-Jewish critics.
Meir Granat, whose family were victims of the Holocaust, believes Abramovich bowed to anti-Semitic feelings against Grant — despite the Blues’ owner being a Russian Jew himself.
Outraged Granat, 80, said: “I have never met Roman Abramovich and I don’t know him. But I was sure that, as a Jew, he would support Avram. “Yet Abramovich was probably influenced by the anti-Semites and could not stand the pressure of the negativity against Avram and the publicity against him.”
It was an astonishing attack, though not the first time anti-Semitic claims have been raised. Grant’s agent Pini Zahavi recently argued anti-Semitism was having an influence on his client’s chances of staying at the club.
And Grant has also received death threats linked to his background. Grant pleaded for his job at a 2½-hour meeting at Abramovich’s London mansion on Saturday.
A pal said: “He is very hurt and disappointed by what has happened. He knows certain members of the board always wanted to get rid of him.”