Kick It Out 'reassured' by FA's Clattenburg investigation

23/11/2012 6:25:00 AM

No further action will be taken against the 37-year-old referee, after he was accused by Chelsea of using inappropriate language towards Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel

By Joe Doyle

English football's anti-racism campaign Kick It Out say they are "reassured" by the levels the Football Association have gone to in investigating matters of abuse in the game, after the governing body cleared referee Mark Clattenburg of racism charges.

The 37-year-old had a formal complaint made against him by Chelsea after the Premier League clash between the west London club and Manchester United, after allegedly abusing midfielder John Obi Mikel.

However, after taking all evidence into consideration, the FA have found that the referee has no case to answer, and Kick It Out have praised the governing body for taking the time to launch a thorough investigation into the matter, as they did in incidents involving Luis Suarez and John Terry.

Chair Lord Herman Ouseley said: "Kick It Out is reassured by the willingness to investigate matters, as seen in three high-profile incidents spanning the past 13 months, once it has all the evidence to consider.

"Irrespective of today's outcome, the message remains clear: report perceived abuse, whether seen or heard, to the relevant authorities for the required process to take place."