A HUMAN rights activist and former cop has been named as one of the Chelsea fans allegedly involved in a racist incident on a Paris train.

Richard Barklie, 50, was identified as one of three men sought by London police investigating a video of Souleymane Sylla, a black man, being pushed off a Paris metro train amid chants of “we’re racist, we’re racist and that’s the way we like it.”

The incident happened on Tuesday before Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

However Barklie, a director of the World Human Rights Forum, insists he is not racist and issued a statement through his lawyer seeking to explain the “context and circumstances.”

TRAIN ATTACK: Chelsea boss ‘ashamed’ over racist abuse

The former Royal Ulster Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer from Northern Ireland denied singing racist songs, said he travelled alone and insisted he wasn’t part of the Chelsea group.

“We contacted London Metropolitan Police today to advise that our client is happy to assist with inquiries,” Barklie’s Belfast lawyer, Kevin Winters, said.

“Pending formal engagement with police, our client is anxious to put on record his total abhorrence for racism and any activity associated with it.”

The statement continued: “As someone who has spent years working with disadvantaged communities in Africa and India he can point to a CV in human rights work which undermines any suggestion he is racist ...

“He did not participate in racist chanting and singing and condemns any behaviour supporting that. He accepts he was involved in an incident when a person now known to him as Souleymane S was unable to enter a part of the train.

“He has an account to give to police which will explain the context and circumstances as they prevailed at that particular time.”

In the statement, Barklie, who addressed a human rights forum in India in 2013, also apologised for the “trauma and stress” suffered by Mr Sylla.

The Mirror reported the WAVE Trauma Centre, which supports victims of the Northern Ireland Troubles, said it suspended a part-time worker pending an investigation.

“As this matter is subject to an investigation by the Metropolitan Police it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage,” said a charity spokesman.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said officers were liaising with French authorities after three suspects were identified. He added the force can’t arrest people outside the UK.

Mr Sylla said the incident was humiliating.

“I felt truly wounded to the bottom of my heart that I really couldn’t believe it,” he said in a BBC radio interview.

“Of course it’s Chelsea’s responsibility. It’s their supporters. We’re in 2015 aren’t we and we’re in France. We’re in a civilised country and when you are in a civilised country, there are certain things you can’t do.

“For me, it’s a humiliation. I was humiliated in my country. I was humiliated in front of my family, humiliated in front of my mother and father.”

The news comes after Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said the club was “appalled” by the alleged racial abuse.

“We feel ashamed but maybe we shouldn’t because I refuse to be connected with these people,” Mourinho said.

“I’m connected with Chelsea and so many good things this club defends and represents. I left Chelsea in 2007 and I couldn’t wait to be back. It’s not because of people like this that I wanted to be back.

“I felt ashamed when I knew what happened, but I repeat, I’m a proud Chelsea manager because I know what this club is. These people don’t represent the club.”