PARIS: French and British police on Wednesday launched a hunt for self-proclaimed “racist” Chelsea football fans who pushed a black man off a Paris metro train.

A new storm of controversy over racial abuse in the sport erupted after amateur video emerged showing fans preventing the man from boarding and then chanting: “We’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it!“

English Premier League leaders Chelsea called the affair “abhorrent” and launched an appeal for witnesses to contact the club.

French politicians demanded “sanctions” after the incident in the center of the French capital before Chelsea’s 1-1 Champions League draw against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.

The supporters repeatedly pushed back the man each time he tried to get on the packed carriage, in footage obtained by The Guardian newspaper.

A black woman is later seen leaving the carriage as insults are shouted inside.

French prosecutors said they have opened an investigation into “deliberate racial violence on public transport.”

“We will work with British police. These people must be known,” a French police source told AFP.

London police confirmed that they would assist the French investigation.

“We will examine the footage with a view to seeing if we can apply for football banning orders, preventing people from traveling from future matches,” said a New Scotland Yard statement.

Meanwhile, British prime minister David Cameron said the incident was “extremely disturbing and very worrying.”

The images shocked the football establishment.

In a statement, Chelsea called the incident “abhorrent.”

“We will support any criminal action against those involved,” the club said. It added that those involved could be banned from matches.

European football’s governing body UEFA said it was “appalled” by the fans’ behavior, but could do nothing as the incident occurred away from PSG’s stadium.

Sepp Blatter, president of world governing body FIFA, wrote on Twitter: “I also condemn the actions of a small group of Chelsea fans in Paris. There is no place for racism in football!“

England’s Football Association said: “The FA, like the club, completely condemn such disgraceful behavior, which is a criminal offense, and those responsible should face the strongest possible punishment.”

The footage was filmed by Paul Nolan, a Briton living in Paris. He told The Guardian he was “completely appalled” by what he saw at Richelieu-Drouot station in central Paris.

A Chelsea supporter who claimed to have been on the train said the man had only been pushed away because the carriage was full.

“He tried to get on and a few people were pushing him off because there wasn’t much space on the carriage. You couldn’t move,” Mitchell McCoy, 17, told Britain’s Press Association, denying there was any racist intent.

But Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, deputy leader of France’s conservative opposition UMP party, called the Chelsea fan violence “abject and intolerable.” She said in a Twitter comment that “sanctions are essential.”