The FA V Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC
IN THE MATTER OF A FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION INDEPENDENT REGULATORY COMMISSION BETWEEN: THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION The Association - and - (1) CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB (2) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FOOTBALL CLUB The Participants ________________________________________________________ WRITTEN REASONS FOR THE DECISION OF THE INDEPENDENT REGULATORY COMMISSION FOLLOWING THE HEARING ON 10TH MAY 2016 _________________________________________________________ 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 On 2nd May 2016, Chelsea FC played Tottenham Hotspur FC in a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge. The outcome of the match was potentially of great significance to the race to become Premier League champions for the 2015/16 season; anything other than a win for Tottenham would confirm Leicester City FC as champions. And so it proved to be; Tottenham were 2-0 up at half-time, but Chelsea scored two second half goals to draw the match 2-2. 1.2 The game was ill-tempered and at times threatened to get out of control. The match referee, Mark Clattenburg, issued nine cautions to Tottenham players, a Premier League record for a single match, and three to Chelsea. There were also three mass confrontations between the opposing teams, another unprecedented and highly dubious record. 1.3 Mr. Clattenburg prepared Extraordinary Incident Reports following the match, which may be summarised as follows: (i) Players from both teams were involved an in altercation in the 45th minute, resulting in one player from each team being cautioned. Although he did not witness the incident at the time, it was subsequently brought to Mr. Clattenburg’s attention that a Tottenham player, Mousa Dembele, had his hand in the face of Diego Costa of Chelsea and appeared to gouge with his fingers towards the eyes of the latter.
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