OUTRAGED Chelsea stars have given sworn statements
claiming John Obi Mikel WAS racially abused by ref Mark Clattenburg.
They are prepared to give evidence to the FA inquiry set up to
investigate the accusations after the 3-2 defeat by Manchester United.
The
statements were taken from several senior players at the club’s
training ground yesterday when they reported for a warm-down. It is also
alleged Clattenburg called Juan Mata ‘a Spanish t**t.’
The row
took a further twist last night when the Metropolitan Police became
involved after the Association of Black Lawyers reported the incident as
a “racially-aggravated offence” against Mikel and Mata. Police chiefs
will now have to decide whether a criminal offence was committed by
Clattenburg.
FA chiefs are determined to deal with the explosive
allegations as a matter of urgency after being accused of dragging their
feet over the John Terry case.
It took an independent commission an
agonising 11 months to finally suspend the Chelsea captain for four
games and fine him £220,000 for racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.
Clattenburg,
37, has already been left off the list of appointments for this
weekend’s Premier League fixtures. And he is unlikely to take charge of
another game until the matter has been resolved.
The game’s
governing body launched the inquiry last night after receiving an
‘extraordinary incident report’ from Clattenburg and a further report
from match delegate Nick Cusack.
Chelsea have accused Clattenburg
of using ‘inappropriate language’ to two of their players. Nigerian
international Mikel is convinced he was racially insulted by Clattenburg
and stunned the Chelsea dressing room when he repeated the words he
believed had been used to him.
When it was then claimed that one
of the club’s Spanish players, believed to be Mata, was also insulted by
the ref, chairman Bruce Buck and chief executive Ron Gourlay were both
summoned.
It is understood that at least three players aside from
Mikel, including Brazilian Ramires, have stated they heard Clattenburg’s
comments.
Boss Roberto Di Matteo was accompanied by Mikel when
he confronted Clattenburg with the allegations in the referee’s room
after the match.
And it was only after two hours of discussions with
the players to establish the full facts that Chelsea decided to proceed
with their official complaint.
Referees’ union Prospect declared: “We are committed to helping to eradicate racism in football and in society generally.
“In
the context of that commitment, Prospect is offering full support to
Mark Clattenburg in relation to the allegations made against him.”
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