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November 1, 2011By ESPNsoccernet staff
Chelsea have condemned chants from their own fans about QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during their Champions League draw at Racing Genk on Tuesday.
Supporters in the away section in Belgium aired songs about Ferdinand in response to the allegations of racism surrounding their captain John Terry - now the subject of formal investigations by the FA and the Metropolitan Police.
Terry released a statement to deny the allegations after video footage posted online in the wake of Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at QPR last last month caused a storm.
Regarding the chants heard at the Cristal Arena a club spokesman said in a statement: "The chanting was wholly inappropriate and we don't condone it.''
Manager Andre Villas-Boas insisted he had not heard the chanting, which was at its loudest shortly before and shortly after half-time. He added: "I was concentrating on the game.''
Chelsea look set to avoid action over their fans' taunting of Ferdinand after UEFA confirmed on Wednesday morning that neither their match delegate nor referee Svein Oddvar Moen made any mention in their reports of the abuse levelled at the QPR defender.
Were the officials to have alleged the chanting was of a racist nature, UEFA's disciplinary unit would have been forced to look into the matter.
European football's governing body said they could still do so should "any other piece of evidence of such chanting be made available'', even though it would appear to be difficult to prove categorically that last night's taunts were racially motivated.
Possible UEFA sanctions for racist chanting include fines and forcing clubs to play matches behind closed doors.
Chelsea have condemned chants from their own fans about QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during their Champions League draw at Racing Genk on Tuesday.
Supporters in the away section in Belgium aired songs about Ferdinand in response to the allegations of racism surrounding their captain John Terry - now the subject of formal investigations by the FA and the Metropolitan Police.
Terry released a statement to deny the allegations after video footage posted online in the wake of Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at QPR last last month caused a storm.
Regarding the chants heard at the Cristal Arena a club spokesman said in a statement: "The chanting was wholly inappropriate and we don't condone it.''
Manager Andre Villas-Boas insisted he had not heard the chanting, which was at its loudest shortly before and shortly after half-time. He added: "I was concentrating on the game.''
Chelsea look set to avoid action over their fans' taunting of Ferdinand after UEFA confirmed on Wednesday morning that neither their match delegate nor referee Svein Oddvar Moen made any mention in their reports of the abuse levelled at the QPR defender.
Were the officials to have alleged the chanting was of a racist nature, UEFA's disciplinary unit would have been forced to look into the matter.
European football's governing body said they could still do so should "any other piece of evidence of such chanting be made available'', even though it would appear to be difficult to prove categorically that last night's taunts were racially motivated.
Possible UEFA sanctions for racist chanting include fines and forcing clubs to play matches behind closed doors.