The Polish Football Association has insisted that the defender Kamil Glik did not racially abuse England’s Kyle Walker in the flashpoint which has become the subject of a Fifa investigation.
Fifa launched the inquiry into the mêlée, which erupted during Wednesday’s World Cup qualifying match, after a request by the FA to world football’s governing body.
The two players clashed at the end of the first half in the Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, with television pictures showing Glik pinching Walker’s throat as they lined up at a free kick.
Tensions then escalated as the teams left the pitch at the interval, with a mêlée erupting that led to the England defender Harry Maguire and Glik being booked. The game ended 1-1.
It is understood that during the half-time break two officials from the FA, the team manager, Emily Webb, and the head of security, Tony Conniford, spoke to the German fourth official, Daniel Schlager, and the Uefa delegate João Morais about the trouble.
The FA has refused to comment publicly on the matter as it waits to ascertain the full details of the incident, but their Polish counterparts were quick to reject any suggestion that Glik had made a racial remark — or gesture — to the Manchester City defender Walker.
Glik, who plays for Italian Serie B side Benevento, admitted trading barbs with Walker and revealed that he later refused the offer of a handshake.
Speaking to the Polish TV channel TVP Sport after the game, Glik said: “There was some scuffle. Later I wanted to shake Walker’s hand, but he didn’t accept it. There was some verbal scuffle but nothing more happened there.”
Jakub Kwiatkowski, a spokesman for the Polish FA, added: “I asked Kamil at half-time and he said he did not do anything that might be treated as racist.
“It was a football match — players were pushing each other. He got him [Walker] by the throat, but that was it. No racist behaviour. Representatives from the English FA spoke to the fourth official at half-time. I spoke to the match delegate and he said there is footage of everything.”
Those pictures will form a key part of Fifa’s investigation, along with witness statements from those involved.
A statement from Fifa said: “Fifa is in the process of analysing the official match reports of the Fifa World Cup qualifier match between Poland and England.
“The relevant information will be assessed by the competent disciplinary bodies in order to decide on next steps.”
