Premier League giants Chelsea have issued a season ticket holder with an indefinite suspension after he was identified as having performed a racist gesture towards Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min in last Sunday's heated clash at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea announced that they had begun an investigation after images distributed on social media showed the fan in Stamford Bridge's Shed End performing the racist gesture towards Son during the 2-2 draw, with the club saying that the fan would be subject to the “strongest action from the club”.
On Saturday, the Londoners issued a statement to say that the supporter had been identified and that they had “banned [the] season ticket holder indefinitely.”
“Chelsea Football Club finds any form of discriminatory behavior totally abhorrent. It has no place at Chelsea or in any of our communities,” the club said.
“Chelsea FC has consistently made its zero tolerance position on discriminatory behaviour very clear, yet there are still idiots like this that attach themselves to this club as so called 'fans', which shames Chelsea FC, our coaches, players, staff and our true supporters.”
Chelsea had previously suspended another supporter for life after he was found to have hurled racist abuse at then-Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling, who has since joined Chelsea.
They also banned five other supporters temporarily in connection with the Sterling incident.
In 2019, a Chelsea supporter was arrested for racist abuse of Son at a game between the two sides in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - a game in which Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger was also reportedly subject to racist chants from Tottenham fans.
The fallout from Sunday's hot-tempered clash between the two London rivals continues, after it was revealed that Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will likely serve a one-game touchline ban after he and Spurs manager Antonio Conte were red-carded after the final whistle following a touchline fracas.
The ban, though, remains suspended pending further investigation. He was also fined a sum of £35,000.
Conte, by comparison, was not hit with a touchline ban following a probe by The FA.