Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has insisted "I am not deaf" and is adamant he was the victim of monkey chants in Moscow this week.
UEFA has charged CSKA Moscow with the "racist behavior of their fans" following Wednesday night's Champions League encounter.
Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan could also face sanction after failing to broadcast an appeal for supporters to stop after Toure made his complaint.
CSKA have been pleading their innocence, insisting Toure must have misheard what they claim to have been nothing more than booing.
That stance has been given more credence as it has been backed by CSKA player - and Toure's Ivory Coast team-mate - Seydou Doumbia.
However, Toure believes Doumbia is only acting on behalf of his club.
And the former Barcelona is unrepentant about the noises being directed at him.
Speaking to BBC Afrique, part of the World Service, Toure said: "I am not deaf. We are all humans. It is not a nice feeling to go and play a football match, to bring joy to the people and to be called a monkey or to hear monkey noises.
"I don't look like a monkey. Other people must have seen it. Doumbia is a young brother. Someone I admire who I have known a long time - we come from the same country.
"I don't want to say things that will put him in trouble but you can see a little bit of manipulation around all this. It is so pathetic and so sad to see things (racism) like that. I am ashamed to still have to talk about this subject."
The consequences for CSKA being found guilty could be far reaching.
They would almost certainly be forced to play at least one - and possibly more - matches behind closed doors, in addition to being hit by what are becoming increasingly large fines.
Yet, for Russia itself, a shadow is looming over their hosting of the 2018 World Cup amid talk some high-profile black players might be prepared to boycott the event should nothing be done to combat racism in the country.
It is not a debate Toure is keen to get involved with at present.
Indeed, his main wish is to see improvements made to stop such incidents happening again.
"We know there are very large stakes for the country [Russia] around the World Cup," said Toure. "But let's leave FIFA and UEFA to do their work. UEFA has decided to apply the rules - that's all we want.
"A lot of things have been said about racism. If today an organisation and supporters stray from the straight path or slip up, the goal is to see them straight again."
