Charity director and Chelsea fan says he is not racist and shoved black man off Paris Metro because he was being aggressive

A director of a human rights charity has admitted pushing a black man off a Paris metro train but blamed him for starting the fracas.

Richard Barklie, a director of the World Human Rights Forum, an Northern Ireland-based charity, is contesting a lifetime banning order from the English Football Association after he and other Chelsea FC fans were filmed allegedly pushing Souleymane Sylla off a train as they travelled to a Champions League game in the city last February.

Footage also showed several fans chanting: "We're racist and that's the way we like it."

Barklie told Stratford Magistrates Court he only pushed Sylla because there was no room in the train carriage. "Mr Sylla was the only one using aggression,” he said.

Asked by his defence barrister if "there was any issue in relation to the colour of his skin", Barklie replied "none whatsoever".

Barklie’s organisation states its mission as promoting “human rights, values and global well being necessary for the creation of a better world order.”

Three others are contesting the FA ban alongside Barklie.

During the hearing one of the defendant’s lawyers pointed out that Sylla complained to French police only when encouraged by journalists.

However, Sylla, who works as a sales manager in France, said the incident had changed his life.

“It was a shock that I can’t get over,” he said. “You’re on your way home from work and you’re pushed out of the Metro just because you’re black and the people who are doing it to you say: ‘Yes, we’re racist and we like it like that, we’re fine with that.’”

The case continues.