Shevchenko wins damages over Mirror slurs

LONDON, May 3 (Reuters) Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has been awarded ''substantial damages'' against the Daily Mirror after the newspaper claimed he was a ''snitch'' who passed information on manager Jose Mourinho to owner Roman Abramovich.

The Ukraine international, one of the highest paid players in world soccer, sued publishers MGN Ltd over articles in January and March which also claimed that other Chelsea players blamed him for an alleged row between Mourinho and Abramovich.

Shevchenko's solicitor John Kelly told a London High Court judge that the first article on January 16, headlined 'Shev's a Snitch', also claimed that Shevchenko's team mates could not trust him and that it was affecting team morale.

Despite immediate complaints from Shevchenko's lawyers, a second article the next day claimed the striker had asked Abramovich to replace Mourinho with AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Shevchenko complained again but a third article on Jan. 19 again alleged he was a ''dressing room spy for Roman Abramovich''.

Shevchenko publicly denied the allegations in interviews with The Sun and The Times. The Mirror then accepted the allegations were untrue and published an apology on February 9.

However, a month later the Mirror published a fourth article headlined: ''Sheva - yes it's true, I've complained about Chelsea manager''.

The story claimed the player had told a German Web site he had played for better coaches than Mourinho and would have been happy to leave Chelsea on loan in the January transfer window.

Shevchenko's lawyer said he did not provide any such interview to the Web site.

He said that MGN now accepted the allegations were untrue and were represented in court to publicly set the record straight and apologise. It has also agreed to pay 'substantial undisclosed damages' and Shevchenko's legal costs.

REUTERS BJR KN1802