Following an investigation into Tuesday night’s deplorable events, Chelsea Football Club has given indefinite bans to three people believed to have been captured on video preventing a black man from boarding the Paris Metro train following Chelsea’s 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw with Paris Saint-Germain.
The three fans, which can be seen shoving the man off the train and chanting “We’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it,” could be given lifetime bans from Stamford Bridge if the club finds there is “sufficient evidence of their involvement” in the incident, the club said in an official statement on Thursday.
From the club’s official statement:If it is deemed there is sufficient evidence of their involvement in the incident, the club will issue banning orders for life.
We have received substantial information to date following our witness appeal and we are grateful to the many Chelsea supporters who have provided information so far.
In total, it took the club less than 48 hours to publicly acknowledge the incident, condemn the fans’ actions, identify the perpetrators and take disciplinary action against them.
I’d say that UEFA and/or FIFA could take a page out of Chelsea book with regards to disciplining clubs and their fans for racial abuse inside stadiums, but I’m well aware that’s wishful thinking and not likely to happen anytime soon.