Chelsea fan to explain to police

A football fan holds up an anti racism banner referring to the incident. Photo / AP

A director of an international human rights organisation has admitted he was involved in preventing a black French man from entering a Paris underground train amid racist chanting by Chelsea football fans.

Richard Barklie, 50, a former police officer from Northern Ireland and a veteran Chelsea fan, spoke through his lawyers after he was named as one of three men wanted by Scotland Yard.

However, he insisted he was not a racist and said he would explain the context and circumstances behind his actions to the police.

He is seen in video footage of the incident twice pushing Souleymane S, whose surname has not been publicised, out of the carriage.

Barklie is on the board of directors of the World Human Rights Forum, with people from countries including Nigeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, India, Canada and Germany. The forum's website says it is dedicated to promoting "human rights, values and global well-being".

Barklie's lawyers said: "Pending formal engagement with police, our client is anxious to put on record his total abhorrence for racism and any activity associated with it. As someone who has spent years working with disadvantaged communities in Africa and India he can point to a CV in human rights work which undermines any suggestion he is racist."

They said a senior official in the forum had "confirmed their support" for Barklie, a season ticket holder at Chelsea who has travelled to matches for more than 20 years.

"He travelled alone to the Paris St Germain match and has no knowledge whatsoever of the identities of the other people depicted in recent YouTube videos. He wants to stress that he was not and never has been part of any group or faction of Chelsea supporters.

"He did not participate in racist chanting and singing and condemns any behaviour supporting that. He accepts he was involved in an incident when a person now known to him as Souleymane S was unable to enter a part of the train. He has an account to give to police which will explain the context and circumstances as they prevailed at that particular time."

Barklie expressed his "sincerest apologies for the trauma and stress suffered by Mr Souleymane".

A Met police spokesman said the three men had been identified and the force was liaising with the French authorities. None of the men sought by Scotland Yard have been arrested as any offences took place outside the UK.

Chelsea has already suspended five members.

- Independent