Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has disclosed that he contemplated suicide after being falsely accused of racism towards Chelsea hero John Obi-Mikel in 2012.
The official revealed the devastating impact the allegations had on his mental health and family life.
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Clattenburg said: "The Obi Mikel situation affected me a lot and affected my family a lot. I think that was the closest I've ever been to, a suicide and, b, finishing."
The referee explained that his newborn daughter, who was just six months old at the time, ultimately prevented him from taking his own life during what he described as the darkest period of his career.
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has disclosed that he contemplated suicide after being falsely accused of racism towards Chelsea hero John Obi-Mikel in 2012
PA
The accusations stemmed from a Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United in 2012, where Clattenburg was alleged to have made racist comments towards two Chelsea players, including Mikel.
The claims prompted immediate investigations by both the Football Association and the Metropolitan Police.
Clattenburg was suspended from officiating duties whilst the FA conducted their inquiry, missing four weeks of Premier League matches.
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Mark Clattenburg was accused of racism by Chelsea star John Obi-Mikel back in 2012
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The referee recalled receiving the devastating news through a Sky Sports notification on his mobile phone, which read: "Mark Clattenburg accused of racial discrimination against two Chelsea players."
The allegations thrust Clattenburg and his family into intense media scrutiny as both investigations proceeded.
In the end, the FA eventually dismissed all allegations against Clattenburg, and the Metropolitan Police dropped their inquiry.
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Chelsea subsequently acknowledged they "regretted" their handling of the accusation and the "intense media scrutiny" endured by the referee and his family.
Clattenburg described the initial hours after the accusation as torturous.
"It was the worst 12 hours. I remember not sleeping. I didn't go to bed. I was soul searching because I didn't know what I had said, so I'm trying to work out if I had said something in the heat of the moment," he recalled.
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He added: "That was the hardest thing, thinking I had done it."
The allegations only began to unravel when Chelsea failed to produce the required evidence to support their claims.
Following his exoneration in 2012, Clattenburg reflected: "To know you were innocent of something but that there was the opportunity for it to wreck your career was truly frightening."
The referee returned to Premier League duties after his four-week absence and rebuilt his career to reach the pinnacle of his profession.
Manchester United beat Chelsea in a controversial clash back in 2012
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He ended up officiating two of football's most prestigious matches - the Euro 2016 final and the Champions League final in 2016.
Clattenburg continued refereeing at the highest level until his retirement in 2017, having overcome what he described as the most challenging period of his life.
Anyone who is in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide can call the Samaritans anonymously for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.