By Andrew Warshaw
November 14 – One of the two investigations into the Chelsea-Mark Clattenburg case has been dropped through lack of sufficient evidence, the latest twist in a debacle that continues to sour English football.
The European champions lodged a complaint with the Football Association (FA) over alleged “inappropriate language” directed at Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel (pictured top, centre) by Clattenburg (pictured top, left) during the explosive 3-2 Premier League defeat by Manchester United on October 28.
That prompted the previously little known Society of Black Lawyers to lodge a separate written complaint with police.
Clattenburg, one of FIFA’s elite referees who took charge of the men’s Olympic final at London 2012, has not officiated in the top flight since the claims against him were made but the Metropolitan Police said there was no evidence an offence was committed.
“Enquiries were made and no victims have come forward,” said an official statement.
“Without a victim and/or any evidence that any offence has been committed, the matter cannot currently be investigated.
“If the situation changes and a victim and/or evidence to support an allegation of a crime comes to police attention then further enquiries will, if appropriate, be made.”
With none of Clattenburg’s back-up team of linesmen and fourth official, all of whom were wired up, understood to have supported Chelsea’s claims, the club’s decision to report him was always likely to be a high-risk strategy.
Clattenburg sent off two Chelsea players in the United game but the club have consistently insisted their subsequent actions were not prompted by revenge.
Nor, say Chelsea, should they be accused of hypocrisy in making a complaint against Clattenburg while standing by their captain John Terry (pictured below, right) who was recently banned for four games for racial abuse.
Club chairman Bruce Buck told the Evening Standard newspaper yesterday that the two controversies must not be linked.
Although banter between referees and players is de rigueur, Buck said the club had no choice but to report Clattenburg after speaking three times to Mikel and other players for exact clarification following claims that the word “monkey” was used.
“From our perspective, the latest situation was pretty straightforward,” Buck said.
“We have an obligation to report what may be misconduct.
“We did that, in good faith and not maliciously.
“We weren’t interested in any confrontation with the referee or anybody else, had no thoughts of revenge on the referee.”
Asked whether the referee might have used the phrase, “I don’t give a monkey’s…”, Buck, who is American, said he did not know the expression.
The decision by police to drop their probe leaves the FA free to complete its own inquiries, with a decision expected on Friday (November 16) that will have huge repercussions one way or the other.
Chelsea have submitted a dossier of evidence including signed witness statements from players alleging Clattenburg used a term interpreted as racist.
Clattenburg, if found guilty, seems certain to receive a lengthy sanction but if the FA rule that there is no case to answer, there will be calls to come down hard on Chelsea for bringing the game into disrepute and driving a potentially damaging wedge between players and officials.
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