Ferdinand fined for Twitter comment
442 Staff - Friday 17 August 2012, 13:34
The Football Association have fined Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand £45,000 over a comment posted on Twitter.
The charge relates to Ferdinand's response to a message which characterised Chelsea's Ashley Cole as a "choc-ice".
Ferdinand requested a personal hearing for the charge and the FA have now confirmed that an independent regulatory committee have upheld the verdict, while the defender has also been warned over his future conduct on the social networking site.
In a statement on its official website, the FA said: "The Commission decided that the comment was improper and brought the game into disrepute.
"In addition, the Commission found that the breach included a reference to ethnic origin, colour or race. Ferdinand was fined £45,000 and warned as to his future conduct."
Cole was a defence witness during the recent trial of Chelsea captain John Terry, who was acquitted in July of racially abusing Ferdinand's brother, QPR defender Anton.