Chelsea and England full-back Ashley Cole accidentally shot an intern at the club's training ground with a .22 calibre air rifle, according to a report.
The News Of The World reported that Cole was "larking about" with the weapon, which he brought to the state of the art complex at Cobham complete with a muzzle and nightscope, when he discharged it from a distance of five feet.
Tom Cowan, a sports science student at Loughborough University who is on a year's work placement with Chelsea, was in the dressing room when the incident happened last Sunday.
Sources at Chelsea told the News of the World how the student was tended to by Chelsea medical staff and given several days off to recover from the shock.
But his wound had still not healed two days later and he had to be looked at again by medical staff.
Several first team members are said to have witnessed the incident.
The News Of The World said that Cowan was called into a meeting with "deeply worried" Chelsea officials on Wednesday to discuss the accident and a day later the 21-year-old's father held further discussions with the club and demanded to know what action against Cole would be taken.
"It's truly inconceivable that a Premier League footballer could bring a gun to the training ground," a source told the newspaper.
"But Ashley pulled the rifle from a box and started larking about with it in the changing room, not realising it was loaded. It ended up pointed at Tom just five feet away.
"The gun went off with a loud pop and Tom screamed as this lead pellet hit him in the side. It went through his clothing and into his flesh."
Cole is reported to have formally apologised to Cowan after receiving a severe dressing down from the club.
It is not illegal to possess a .22 air rifle without a licence but the incident could be deemed actual bodily harm, which carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine.
"We never comment on internal matters," Chelsea said in response to the report.
The News Of The World reported that Cole was "larking about" with the weapon, which he brought to the state of the art complex at Cobham complete with a muzzle and nightscope, when he discharged it from a distance of five feet.
Tom Cowan, a sports science student at Loughborough University who is on a year's work placement with Chelsea, was in the dressing room when the incident happened last Sunday.
Sources at Chelsea told the News of the World how the student was tended to by Chelsea medical staff and given several days off to recover from the shock.
But his wound had still not healed two days later and he had to be looked at again by medical staff.
Several first team members are said to have witnessed the incident.
The News Of The World said that Cowan was called into a meeting with "deeply worried" Chelsea officials on Wednesday to discuss the accident and a day later the 21-year-old's father held further discussions with the club and demanded to know what action against Cole would be taken.
"It's truly inconceivable that a Premier League footballer could bring a gun to the training ground," a source told the newspaper.
"But Ashley pulled the rifle from a box and started larking about with it in the changing room, not realising it was loaded. It ended up pointed at Tom just five feet away.
"The gun went off with a loud pop and Tom screamed as this lead pellet hit him in the side. It went through his clothing and into his flesh."
Cole is reported to have formally apologised to Cowan after receiving a severe dressing down from the club.
It is not illegal to possess a .22 air rifle without a licence but the incident could be deemed actual bodily harm, which carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine.
"We never comment on internal matters," Chelsea said in response to the report.
