Chelsea CLEARED OF RACE SLUR

[the wes 7,212]

Chelsea Football Club would like to thank the Football Association for their decision today (Friday) that there was no racist element involved in the incident between Patrice Evra and Sam Bethell, a member of the Chelsea ground staff.

Chelsea always strenuously denied the racist allegation and that position has been totally vindicated by the FA.

Alleging racism is one of the most serious accusations that can be made in football. Chelsea has a zero tolerance attitude towards racism and is fighting hard with the rest of football to rid all forms of discrimination from the game.

Clearly the incident itself was a regrettable one. We will be analysing the detail of the verdict before commenting further.

The FA issued the following statement after today's hearing:

A Regulatory Commission hearing today reached its verdict on charges issued as a result of an incident during a warm-down session following Chelsea's match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on 26 April.

The Regulatory Commission found a charge of improper conduct against Mr Evra proved on all four elements of the charge.

The Commission found that his conduct during a warm down session following the Chelsea v Manchester United, Premier League fixture on 26 April 2008, was improper in that:

a) Mr Evra pushed the Chelsea FC Head Groundsman with his chest (as was admitted by Mr Evra)

He struck Mr Sam Bethell, a Groundsman at Chelsea FC, on the side of his head

c) He subsequently, i.e. after the previous incident had begun to calm down, ran back to confront Mr Bethell again (as was also admitted by Mr Evra)

d) Then became involved in a further physical altercation with Mr Bethell.

The Commission considered this was an incident of violent behaviour by Mr Evra which was therefore punished by a suspension for four first team matches as from Monday 22 December 2008 and imposed a fine of £15,000 on Mr Evra.

The Regulatory Commission found two charges against Chelsea FC both proved. On the first charge the Commission found that during the course of the same incidents connected with the warm down by Manchester United FC players, Chelsea FC's employee, Mr Sam Bethell, had conducted himself in a disorderly fashion and that his conduct and language had been abusive and provocative.

Charges against Mr Bethell had previously been dismissed on the ground that The FA had no jurisdiction over him personally. Chelsea FC were charged that it had failed in its responsibility to ensure that its employee Mr Bethell conducted himself in an orderly fashion and refrained from abusive and provocative conduct and language. The Commission fined Chelsea FC £25,000 on this charge.

An allegation that Mr Bethell had engaged in racist conduct or language was not proved. Accordingly, so far as the charge against Chelsea FC was based on its alleged responsibility for such racist conduct and language by Mr Bethell, the charge against the club was not proved.

A second charge against Chelsea FC of failure to specify in Mr Bethell's contract of employment by the club that Mr Bethell was directly under the disciplinary control of The FA was upheld but the Commission did not find it appropriate to impose any penalty on that charge.

Mr Evra and Chelsea FC were each ordered to pay half the costs of the Regulatory Commission proceedings.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Just rewards, then. However, if throwing a coin is worth three matches, surely assault is worth more than a single game more? But we can have no complaints on the issue as we have not been punished.

[Laylabelle 9,408]

Just rewards, then. However, if throwing a coin is worth three matches, surely assault is worth more than a single game more? But we can have no complaints on the issue as we have not been punished.

Its the FA though,prob thought after letting us off they had balance it out somehow by just a 4 match ban.But yeh its crap.No one got hit by the coin otherwise they'd complain where in this case he actully was assulted and yet...madness

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

Great to see its finally been settled. After all the shite coming out of Manure fans about the incident.

GIRFUY

[misschief 24]

The racism charge wasn't proved, that doesn't mean quite the same thing as it not actually happening. I still think Chelsea should've sacked the fucking Millwall thug tbh. Is supporting an employee who brawls with professional footballers instead of sitting on a lawnmower like he's paid to really good for PR?