A video has emerged of Chelsea fans singing racist chants before their side's 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain last night.
The shocking footage also shows the small group blocking a black passenger from boarding a metro train after signing ‘We’re racist, we’re racist and that’s the way we like it’ on the way to to the game.
Shock
The Blues played out a 1-1 draw at the Parc des Prince last night in their Champions League last 16 tie against PSG, with Bransilav Ivanovic heading the visitors ahead in the first half before Edinson Cavani levelled things up to leave things finely balanced ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge in three weeks time.
However the night was marred by the events filmed at the Richelieu-Drouot station, with former footballers Stan Collymore and Jason Roberts, both of whom have campaigned against racism in football, tweeting their condemnation over the incident.
Banned
Collymore wrote: "Chelsea fans. Save your spite for those on the train, I’m sure you’ll want to see them banned from holding season tickets at your club" while Roberts added: I hope that every black Chelsea Player watches that....."
Chelsea confirmed that any fan identified from the video would be the subject of banning orders and have their season ticket confiscated. A statement read: Such behaviour is abhorrent and has no place in football or society. We will support any criminal action against those involved, and should evidence point to the involvement of Chelsea season ticket holders or members the club will take the strongest possible action against them including banning orders.'
In a separate incident, a group of Chelsea fans were tear-gassed before and after the game by French police as they made their way to the stadium, while the Daily Mail also report that a group of around 200 fans were "kettled" by the authorities during the build-up to the match.
Opinion
For any real football fan, the footage from last night is genuinely shocking. The Chelsea fans involved are a disgrace to anyone who loves the game, and it is time for the majority to turn on the vicious minority who are ruining it for everyone.
Football doesn't exist in a bubble; it's subject to the same prejudices that exist in the wider world. Indeed, as Jason Roberts alluded to, Jose Mourinho's opinion that racism doesn't exist in football is almost as damaging as the views of the thugs themselves.
What punishment should these Chelsea fans receive?
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