Former Premier League ref says Chelsea racism row ‘nearly ruined his life’, claims Blues participant instructed him he’d ‘break his legs’

An ex-Premier League ref says that racism allegations made towards him by Chelsea’s Juan Mata and John Obi Mikel got here near ruining his life, as he claims midfielder Mikel threatened to “break his legs”.

Mark Clattenburg detailed the incident from a fiery conflict towards Manchester United in 2012, through which he says a number of Chelsea gamers exploded into rage after he allowed a questionable late objective from Javier Hernandez to clinch a Three-2 win for the Purple Devils. 

The 2016 Champions League closing referee additionally issued purple playing cards to Chelsea pair Branislav Ivanovic and Fernando Torres, prompting a refrain of abuse from the Stamford Bridge trustworthy and the gamers themselves.

However elaborating on the conflict for the primary time in his autobiography ‘Whistle Blower’, Clattenburg wrote of how the incident “nearly ruined his life” and mentioned Nigerian participant Mikel barged into his dressing room after the sport and tried to assault him.

“I knew to anticipate a tirade of abuse from Chelsea supporters, however I used to be not beating myself up over my efficiency. It was then that I heard a commotion outdoors the dressing-room door,” Clattenburg wrote, per MailOnline.

“Earlier than I get to the door it swings open, and with some pressure. John Obi Mikel bursts in and I can see the trend in his eyes.

“Chelsea supervisor Roberto Di Matteo and coach Eddie Newton are holding him again. Mikel is uncontrolled; he’s making an attempt to get at me. ‘I’m gonna break your legs!’ he shouts. He’s swinging for me.”

Clattenburg additionally explains that there was no reality to the racism allegations made towards him by the membership which dominated the UK sports activities press on the time, and that the primary he heard of them was when he examine them within the media. That, he says, made him totally conscious of the facility that Premier League golf equipment can have in controlling a story.

“I’ve to be clear right here – and that is extraordinarily essential – at this level there had been no point out of racism to me, both from Mikel or Di Matteo. No-one had made any accusation of that nature,” he wrote.

“I left Stamford Bridge within the people-carrier and, as we made our means out of West London in direction of Heathrow, there’s a social-media notification on the display screen of my telephone saying: ‘BREAKING NEWS: CHELSEA ACCUSE REFEREE MARK CLATTENBURG OF RACIST COMMENTS’.

“Throughout these early hours in a single day on the Sunday of the sport, I spotted the facility of soccer golf equipment, the maintain they’ve over the media. It was terrifying. It was the European champions towards a referee – who would you imagine?

“I’m trapped. This might destroy my profession. It might destroy my life. The concern is worse than going to jail. I’m being known as a racist. That could be a actual life-sentence, you don’t come again from that. Responsible till confirmed harmless, that’s the English means.”

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Chelsea withdrew the racism allegations regarding Juan Mata two days afterwards however the membership refused to comply with swimsuit with the same allegations the membership made relating to Mikel, prompting an official FA investigation.

He appeared earlier than a number of panels all through the following a number of weeks earlier than the fees have been dropped and he was discovered not responsible.

Clattenburg refereed 297 Premier League video games till his retirement in 2017, and claims in his ebook that psychological well being considerations have been the first motive – one thing he says is prevalent amongst his friends.

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