LONDON (AFP) - A top official from Russian side CSKA Moscow has claimed that accusations of racism against the club's fans are the result of a British "smear campaign".

CSKA have been charged by European governing body Uefa after Manchester City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure complained that he was subjected to monkey chants during his side's mid-week Champions League victory in Moscow.

Uefa president Michel Platini has also called for an inquiry into the incident but CSKA general director Roman Babayev says that it has been "exaggerated" by the British media.

"The British do constantly try to find any reason to smear Russian football. It is totally possible that in this case we're running into this same intention," he told today's edition of the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

"I read the main English publications and they are raising a real hysteria. They are writing that the fans wanted to almost lynch the dark-skinned players on the field. And most journalists probably didn't even watch the match."

Platini says the Romanian referee had failed to observe correct protocol as he did not ask for an appeal to supporters to stop the chanting to be broadcast inside the stadium during the game.

Uefa is scheduled to release the results of its investigation once the disciplinary case against CSKA has been assessed by its disciplinary body on Wednesday.