Mark Clattenburg
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Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has opened up about a controversial episode involving Chelsea and former player John Obi Mikel. Clattenburg accused Chelsea of seeking revenge for his involvement in John Terry’s discrimination case, following an incident with Mikel during a match against Manchester United in October 2012. The former official claimed that Mikel attempted to physically assault him after Chelsea’s defeat, amid allegations that Clattenburg had used a racial slur against the midfielder. Clattenburg was later cleared of any wrongdoing, while Mikel received a ban and a £60,000 fine for threatening the referee.
Mark Clattenburg said: “I don’t believe it had anything to do with that [backing Mikel]. I think it was a payback, I honestly do. For John Terry and Anton Ferdinand, QPR vs Chelsea, when John was accused of saying some words to Anton. The balance of probability is different from the FA to the English law. So the FA charged him and he was found guilty. So I feel like that [the Mikel incident] was to get back at the refereeing. I gave a goal, the assistant didn’t give an offside, and the third goal was controversial. Also, I’d sent off Fernando Torres for a dive after already sending off another Chelsea player earlier in the match, so I’m probably guilty of enhancing the tension.”
Clattenburg’s allegations suggest that Chelsea’s actions were motivated by a desire for “payback” following the FA’s decision to sanction John Terry for racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand in the previous year. Terry was handed a ban and a £220,000 fine by the FA, despite being cleared of criminal charges by Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Clattenburg, who retired from officiating in 2017, reflected on the distressing period that followed the accusations against him, revealing the emotional toll it took on his family.
Mark Clattenburg said: “Then he started swinging punches. I ducked and he tried to pin me against the wall. I didn’t know what had gone on at that point. Nothing about racism, only what happened in the dressing room with Obi Mikel.”
Mark Clattenburg said: “My daughter. My child, because she didn’t deserve it. She was only little. I brought her into the world and it was my responsibility to look after her.”
These revelations were shared during Clattenburg’s appearance on The High Performance podcast, where he discussed the impact of the racism accusation on his personal life. He admitted that the ordeal was so overwhelming that he might have considered taking his own life if not for the responsibility he felt towards his young daughter.
The incident highlights the intense pressure and scrutiny faced by referees in high-stakes matches and the complex dynamics between clubs, players, and officials in the Premier League.
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