Former professional soccer player Mr Stan Collymore flew into Dublin today to speak to gardaí about an alleged assault on him by several Bath rugby players last weekend.
The 33-year-old was interviewed by Garda officers at Dublin Airport Garda station.
The alleged attack happened last weekend when Mr Collymore was in Dublin for an interview on an Irish chat show.
He said he became involved in a fight with members of the Bath rugby team outside a fast food restaurant in Grafton Street. Mr Collymore claims he was provoked when Bath's South African international centre Robbie Fleck racially abused him.
The claims are denied by sources close to the Bath team. Mr Collymore did not initially give a statement to gardaí about the alleged assault, which left him with a broken nose and bruising to his face.
But he flew into Dublin today to outline his version of events in a statement to garda officers.
The head coach of Bath Rugby Club said today the players claimed they were "set up".
The club has investigated the incident and said on Monday that any allegation of racial abuse was unfounded. Coach John Connolly said today: "We honestly believe that they [the players alleged to have been involved] were totally blame-free and the accusations were not true and have no doubt they were set up."
In Dublin, Bath had played and lost against Leinster in a Heineken Cup tie. Collymore claims the incident was sparked by an exchange of words in Lillie's Bordello nightclub in Grafton Street in which he alleged the girlfriend of a Bath player called him a "w*****". A Bath player then stepped in and called him a "f****** Kaffir", he said.
Connolly acknowledged that this week had not been "a smooth run" but said the club would continue to back the accused players "110 per cent".
PA