Following the English FA's report clearing Mark Clattenburg of any case to answer over an allegation the referee said "shut up you monkey'' to John Mikel Obi during Chelsea's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, an An FA Statement also said the complaint by Mikel's team-mate Ramires was "made in good faith''.
I am thus surprised at the decision by the same FA to charge Mikel Obi for incidents arising from the reported claim against Mr Clattenburg. According to the FA, "It is alleged that in or around the Match Officials' changing room at the end of the fixture, Mikel used threatening and/or abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour".
In turn, his club Chelsea has said "the player does not deny the charge, (but that) he will request a personal hearing to explain the mitigating circumstances".
If it is 'entirely possible for a witness to be genuinely mistaken and convincing in his belief', as the FA correctly surmized of Ramires, by the same token, isn't it equally entirely possible for Mikel Obi to have been 'genuinely convinced in his belief' of the statement from Ramires, and thus understandably angry at the presumed offender?
Let there be no misunderstanding. By a strict application of the rules, Mikel Obi was wrong to have used any threatening and/or abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour at Mr Clattenburg, and it is instructive that he has not denied the charge.
But as I recall from the cases involving Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, as well as John Terry and Anton Ferdinand, there did emerge evidence of use of 'abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour' by both Evra and Anton, yet neither of them was charged. I am confused as to why this case is different...
While I fully expect the circumstances surrounding Mikel Obi's reaction to what he assumed to be a racial insult to emerge at the hearing, I am at a loss why it would take a hearing for the context in which a black man might be rightly furious at the source of a percieved racial insult to emerge or be understood.
So I ask again, why is the English FA charging John Mikel Obi?
erhm... I think he "should" be charged!
ReplyDeletehe was told by non-english speaking (brazilian and spanish) that a Gordie (in England they have v hard to understand accents - even to Brits) and he and chelsea jumped on it and tarnished an innocent man's image!
There's a penalty for crying wolf no? especially in a delicate case of racism!
I think especially with a team like "Chelsea" who have a history of bullying and intimidating tactics against referees or anyone who dares beat them.....
Question is, why should he disbelieve Ramires?
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