Chelsea decided the action required a meeting after one of their players was handed a new penalty for a driving offence, on top of an existing driving ban.
Chelsea spoke to defender Wesley Fofana, who was sentenced to 300 hours of community service for dangerous driving. The French centre-back was sentenced after pleading guilty to the offense in April and appeared in court last week.
The Crown Prosecution Service has released footage of the incident, which occurred not far from the Premier League club’s Cobham training ground. Fofana, 24, has been criticized and Chelsea have stepped in.
According to The Athletic, the Blues felt Fofana’s actions warranted a meeting. He had already received a driving ban for an unrelated speeding offense in May, which was due to come into effect in May and last until May 13, 2027.
He was given a separate 18-month driving ban following recent charges of dangerous driving. The Athletic also reports that District Judge Julie Cooper handed down a penalty of £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
“Once your disqualification ends, you will no longer be able to drive until you pass your extended driving test. If you drive as a disqualified driver, you will almost certainly be sent to prison, which is career-ending,” Judge Cooper said.
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Road safety charity Brake also commented on the matter. According to Brake’s website, the company’s goal is “a world with zero traffic deaths and injuries, where everyone can travel safely and healthily, no matter who they are or how they travel.”
“It’s disappointing to see people ignoring speeding regulations and not showing the necessary respect to the road and road users,” Brake’s Luca Straker told The Athletic. “All vehicles are large machines that can kill or seriously injure people.
“Through our National Road Victim Service’s work with families in need, we see the devastating consequences of road accidents every day. It is important that those in positions of influence act responsibly in these situations so that those who look up to them can follow their example.”
Fofana joined Chelsea from Leicester in 2022 for a fee of £70 million, but was plagued by injuries during his time at Stamford Bridge. He missed the entire 2023/24 season thanks to a torn ACL and has only played six games this season, four of which were in the league.
He also started in the Blues’ final Champions League game, a 5-1 win over Ajax at Stamford Bridge. The reigning conference league champions’ next game will be a trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag.
Romeo Lavia, another player who has been plagued by injury recently, has eased back into action after continuing his return against Tottenham on Saturday. Coach Enzo Maresca said of the midfielder: “(Romeo) is training with us and is okay and 100% fit, but we have to be careful because we don’t want him to be out again. We want him to enjoy being a footballer.”
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