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Chelsea deny bonus allegation

30/10/2005

Chelsea have strongly denied claims made by a Sunday newspaper that they paid illegal bonuses to their players after they knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League in 2004.

The claims were made by the News of the World, who say that in Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's new autobiography, he reveals that their bonuses were doubled after they got to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Any increased financial bonuses added during a season are against Premier League rules and the FA have promised an inquiry into the report.

"No payments have been made to any Chelsea player in breach of the Premier League or Football Association regulations," a statement from Chelsea said.

In his book, Hasselbaink explains that Roman Abramovich promised to double the bonuses of players after another former Chelsea striker, Adrian Mutu, joked with him about increasing the money on offer.

"At the beginning of the season Abramovich had promised us £50,000 per player if we reached the semi-finals of the competition," Hasselbaink writes.

"At the end of the month instead of the promised £50,000 there was £100,000 in our bank accounts."

If they are found guilty, Chelsea could face a fine, a ban from the competition in question or a points deduction.

The Blues already have a suspended three-point deduction from the case involving the tapping-up of Ashley Cole.

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