Thursday Sep 29 2005 19:33
Chelsea's claims that they had no intention of signing Ashley Cole have been dismissed by the independent disciplinary commission that have been looking into the 'tapping up' case of the
Arsenal full-back.
The Blues were fined £300,000 and hit with a suspended three-point deduction after being found guilty on Wednesday of an illegal approach for the England left-back.
Manager Jose Mourinho was ordered to pay £200,000 and Cole £100,000 but immediately after the verdicts, Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck insisted they were never going to offer the Gunners star a contract.
However, the commission has rejected that claim with their report stating: "We are satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that Peter Kenyon (chief executive) and Jose Mourinho were sufficiently interested in the possibility of signing Ashley Cole for Chelsea that they did not make the journey merely to listen to Ashley Cole's grievances.
"We are driven to the conclusion we must reject the 'we only went along to listen' explanation and we safely infer that there was an active discussion between all those present on the basis that Cole was going to be up for sale in the near future.
"They (Kenyon and Mourinho) played an active role in discussion and explored the prospect of acquiring him (Cole).
"This amounted to an approach with 'a view to negotiating a contract'."
Cole looks set to take his case of restraint of trade to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and beyond as he appeals against his guilty verdict for approaching Chelsea.
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