FA charge Terry over alleged abuse
442 Staff - Friday 27 July 2012, 18:06
Chelsea captain John Terry was
charged by the FA on Friday following a verbal exchange with
Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier
League match last October.
England centre-back Terry, who was found not guilty of
racially abusing Ferdinand in a criminal case earlier this
month, has denied the charge and requested a personal hearing.
"The FA has today charged the Chelsea player following an
alleged incident that occurred during the Queens Park Rangers
versus Chelsea fixture at Loftus Road on 23 October 2011," said
a statement on the FA website.
"It is alleged that Terry used abusive and/or insulting
words and/or behaviour towards Queens Park Rangers' Anton
Ferdinand, contrary to FA rules.
"It is further alleged that this included a reference to the
ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Anton Ferdinand.
"This charge is the result of The FA's long-standing
enquiries into this matter, which were placed on hold pending
the outcome of the criminal trial, and relates to rules
governing football only," the statement added.
In evidence given during the court case, Terry admitted
using highly offensive words but maintained he was sarcastically
repeating what Ferdinand mistakenly thought he had said.
Explaining his verdict at the end of the five-day hearing at
Westminster Magistrates' Court, chief magistrate Howard Riddle
said there was no doubt about the offensive words Terry used
towards Ferdinand but it was impossible to be sure exactly what
were the words spoken by the Chelsea player at the relevant
time.
Terry was stripped of the England captaincy by the FA in
February because of the allegations. That decision triggered the
resignation of England's Italian manager Fabio Capello.
Capello's successor Roy Hodgson included Terry in the squad
that played in Euro 2012 last month and he remains available to
play for England pending the outcome of the case.