Chelsea promise to ban fans who stopped a black passenger boarding a train on the Paris Metro

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers

Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Chelsea have promised to ban supporters caught on video chanting about being racist and pushing a black man off a train while it waited at the platform of a Paris Metro station on Tuesday night.

The club released a statement on the video footage – posted online by the Guardian – of supporters before the Champions League round of 16 first leg tie against Paris Saint Germain chanting “We’re racist, we’re racist, we’re racist – and that’s the way we like it, we like it”.

The fans were filmed on a mobile phone while on a Metro train that had come to a stop at the Richelieu-Drouot station. The footage captures the moment when a black man twice tries to board the carriage occupied by the fans and is twice pushed back onto the platform.

The Chelsea squad, along with manager Jose Mourinho and his staff, flew back to London immediately after the game but the club were made aware of the footage, filmed by a British citizen living in Paris, before they left. Chelsea released a statement around 1am English time on Wednesday morning.

The club said: "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."

Banning orders are issued by the courts in the United Kingdom for offences at football grounds, and prevent supporters from travelling abroad for club or international fixtures. Chelsea would be able to ban supporters from attending matches at Stamford Bridge.

Uefa is aware of the video but said they are unable to take any action as the incident took place away from the stadium.

"Uefa condemns all forms of discrimination and we are appalled by the incident which took place in the Paris Metro on Tuesday," read a statement. "However, as it occurred away from stadium, it is outside UEFA’s remit to act. It's a matter for local authorities to investigate further."

The footage was filmed by Paul Nolan who had been on his way home from work. He told the Guardian he had been "completely appalled" by the behaviour of the Chelsea fans and their reaction to the man who tried to board the train.

"He was obviously completely shocked when they pushed him off. I don’t think he realised who they were. He then tried to get on again and got pushed off a second time.

"I was just completely appalled by it and so that’s why I tried to catch some of it on my phone, although I was a bit self-conscious as it was getting quite aggressive and I overheard one of the Chelsea fans say something about stabbing someone. I think he was referring to a Paris Saint-Germain supporter who was on the platform."

Chelsea have tried to separate themselves from a toxic association with racism in the 1970s and 1980s, a problem they were not alone among Football League clubs in suffering. The club’s first black player, Paul Canoville, has described in vivid terms the racial abuse he endured during his time at Chelsea between 1981 and 1986 in his autobiography "Black and Blue".

In the modern era he has been welcomed back by as a half-time guest at Stamford Bridge and introduced to the crowd. Canoville has posed the question in his own book about whether some of those who applauded him on his return were abusers during his time as a player.

Chelsea battled to a 1-1 draw in Paris after right-back Branislav Ivanovic gave them the lead, and a vital away goal,, in the first-half.

After the break, however, PSG were the much better side, with Edinson Cavani heading home an equaliser 10 minutes after the break. Laurent Blanc's side continued to push for a winner, but couldn't find a way past the reinstated Thibaut Courtois.

Jose Mourinho's team managed to hold on and now hold the advantage heading into the second leg at Stamford Bridge on 11 March.