Chelsea’s Terry refutes FA racial abuse charge

LONDON  (AFP) – Chelsea captain John Terry has denied racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, the Football Association (FA) said in a statement on Friday, after bringing disciplinary proceedings against the England player.

“John Terry has today denied an FA charge of using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour, which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race, towards Queens Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand,” the organisation said.

“The Chelsea player has requested a personal hearing, the date of which will be set in due course. During this period John Terry remains available to play for England.”

Terry was last month cleared in a criminal trial of a racially aggravated public order offence in relation to the same incident but the FA refused to drop its own case.

The 31-year-old defender, who was stripped of the England captaincy when the criminal charge was laid, has consistently denied racially abusing Ferdinand, maintaining the words he used were to rebut a racism claim from his opponent.

The criminal action had to prove Terry’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt but the judge ruled that the prosection had not proved their case to that standard.

An FA panel will consider the claims resulting from the league match last October but has a lower burden of proof based on the balance of probabilities.