Former Head of Greek KED, Nottingham Arbitration Analyst and Veteran International English Referee, Mark Clatenberghe made a highly revealing confession through which he admitted that several years ago he was thinking of ending his life. The reason was the false accusations that had been brought to him for racist comments to a Premier League footballer.
Mark Clatenberg had been accused in 2012 of making racist characterizations against John Obi Michael and another Chelsea player, after a Londoners’ match against Manchester United.
The severity of the accusations led the English Football Federation (FA) and the police to begin investigations, with the then international referee being temporarily withdrawn from active action. Later, the FA rejected the allegations, and for its part the police closed the case.
Chelsea publicly admitted that she regretted how she handled the case and stood at the huge pressure suffered by Clatenberg and his family by the media.
“The case with Obi Michael deeply influenced me, as did my family. I think then I was closer than ever to ending my life. If there was no way out and if I could no longer arbitrate, what should I do? ” Clatenberg admitted to the Daily Mail.
He even stood at the moment when he was informed of the charges: “I received a notice on my cellphone from Sky Sports:” Mark Clateneberg is accused of racism against two Chelsea players. ” Then we had a newborn baby, just six months old. Those 12 hours were the most difficult of my life, I didn’t close an eye. I was looking for desperate answers, if I had said anything about the intensity of the moment I didn’t remember. “
Clatenberg explained that he began to calm down gradually when it became clear that Chelsea could not provide any evidence of serious racism categories. And after the investigation was completed in 2012, he commented:
“I was terrified. Knowing that you are innocent, but realizing that this can cost you your career is scary. “
He returned to the arbitration four weeks later and then reached the final of the European Championship and the Champions League final in 2016, and a year later (2017) retired from the arbitration.