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Rio Ferdinand calls John Terry an ‘idiot’ over Anton Ferdinand race row Rio Ferdinand calls John Terry an ‘idiot’ over Anton Ferdinand race row
(about 4 hours later)
Rio Ferdinand has said John Terry acted like “an idiot” over the incident three years ago in which the Chelsea captain was accused of racially abusing Ferdinand’s brother, Anton. Writing in his forthcoming autobiography, the Queens Park Rangers defender expressed a deep sense of betrayal at the actions of his former England team-mate, adding that his international career was wrecked in the aftermath of the incident. Rio Ferdinand has said John Terry acted like “an idiot” over the incident three years ago in which the Chelsea captain was accused of racially abusing Ferdinand’s brother, Anton. Writing in his forthcoming autobiography, the Queens Park Rangers defender expressed a deep sense of betrayal at the actions of his former England team-mate, claiming that his international career was wrecked in the aftermath of the incident.
Following a five-day trial at Westminster magistrates’ court in July 2012, Terry was absolved of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in a heated exchange during a west London derby between QPR and Chelsea at Loftus Road the previous October. He had been accused of calling his opponent a “fucking black cunt”, a claim he denied, telling the court that he was simply repeating words he believed Anton Ferdinand had said to him as they argued. Following a five-day trial at Westminster magistrates’ court in July 2012, Terry was absolved of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in a heated exchange during a west London derby at Loftus Road the previous October. He had been accused of calling his opponent a “fucking black cunt”, a claim he denied, telling the court that he was simply repeating words he believed Anton Ferdinand had said to him as they argued.
An FA hearing subsequently found Terry guilty of racial abuse, imposing a four-game ban and a £220,000 fine on the Chelsea defender. Rio Ferdinand was omitted from Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Euro 2012 amid fears that the inclusion of both players might have a divisive effect on the squad, although the manager claimed it was for football reasons. That snub effectively signalled the end of Ferdinand’s international career, the player announcing his Three Lions retirement the following May. An FA hearing subsequently found Terry guilty of racial abuse, imposing a four-game ban and a £220,000 fine on the Chelsea defender. Rio Ferdinand was omitted from Roy Hodgson’s England squad for Euro 2012 amid fears that the inclusion of both players might have a divisive effect, although the manager claimed it was for football reasons. That effectively signalled the end of Ferdinand’s international career, the player announcing his retirement the following May.
“For me, the biggest idiot will always be John Terry,” wrote Ferdinand. “As England captain and my centre-back partner he could have saved everyone a lot of pain by admitting immediately he used the word in the heat of the moment, but was no racist. “For me the biggest idiot will always be John Terry,” claimed Ferdinand. “As England captain and my centre-back partner he could have saved everyone a lot of pain by admitting immediately he used the word in the heat of the moment, but was no racist. I think that’s probably what happened and what the truth is. Anton and I would’ve accepted that – instead he never gave us a chance. That was the betrayal. He tried to run away from what he had done.”
“I think that’s probably what happened and what the truth is. Anton and I would’ve accepted that – instead he never gave us a chance. That was the betrayal. He tried to run away from what he had done.” Ferdinand’s disappointment about being overlooked by Hodgson was exacerbated by what he saw as a failure by the England management to establish whether he would be willing to maintain a working relationship with Terry. “No one ever asked,” added Ferdinand, who revealed that the pair became estranged and have not spoken since. “I find that pretty extraordinary because I’d let it be known [that he would].”
Ferdinand’s disappointment about being overlooked by Hodgson was exacerbated by what he saw as a failure by the England management to establish whether he would be willing to maintain a working relationship with Terry. “No one ever asked,” wrote Ferdinand, who revealed that the pair became estranged following the incident and have not spoken since. “I find that pretty extraordinary because I’d let it be known [that he would].” The former Manchester United player also took aim at Ashley Cole, Terry’s Chelsea team-mate at the time, for agreeing to give evidence for the defence at the court hearing. “Ashley Cole had long been a friend of mine,” said Ferdinand in an extract from his book #2sides. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. But for me it ended the day he decided to go to court in support of John Terry. Anton rang me and my head nearly blew off. He was betraying Anton, who he’d also known for years.”
The former Manchester United player also took aim at Ashley Cole, Terry’s Chelsea team-mate at the time, for agreeing to give evidence for the defence at the court hearing. As Ferdinand makes clear, the fallout from the incident extended beyond the pitch, also affecting his wider family. “There were bullets in the post,” added the QPR defender. “My Mum had her windows smashed and bullets put through her door, and ended up in hospital because of the stress.”
“Ashley Cole had long been a friend of mine,” said Ferdinand in an extract from his book #2sides, serialised in the Sun on Sunday. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. But for me it ended the day he decided to go to court in support of John Terry. Anton rang me and my head nearly blew off. He was betraying Anton, who he’d also known for years.”
As Ferdinand makes clear, the fallout from the incident extended beyond the pitch, also affecting his wider family.
“There were bullets in the post,” added the QPR defender. “My Mum had her windows smashed and bullets put through her door, and ended up in hospital because of the stress.”