FA under pressure to take action against Terry

Football Association chiefs have been urged to follow the precedent set by the Luis Suarez case and take action against Chelsea captain John Terry for using racially offensive language. England defender Terry was found not guilty of racially abusing rival player Anton Ferdinand Friday at the end of a five-day trial at Westminster Magistrates Court in London. During the trial, Terry admitted using the words “f ?**g black c**t” to Ferdinand during a match between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers on October 23 last year. He was acquitted by chief magistrate Howard Riddle on the grounds that there was reasonable doubt over whether Terry intended to be abusive. Terry himself maintained he’d used the words only in the form of a question. Suarez, Liverpool’s Uruguay forward, was banned for eight matches for using the Spanish word “negrito” [little black] in a clash with Manchester United defender Patrice Evra last season. The FA disciplinary commission ruled that Suarez had broken rule E3 (1) of the FA’s rule book simply by using racially offensive language and that any intention on the striker’s part was no defense. A commission including leading lawyer Paul Goulding said in its written verdict: “In our judgment, the test for breach of Rule E3 (1) is objective. “The question is simply whether the words or behavior are abusive or insulting ... It is not necessary the alleged offender intends his words or behavior to be abusive or insulting in order to breach Rule E3 (1).” Anti-racism campaigner Lord Herman Ouseley urged both the FA and English clubs to step up their efforts in combating offensive language. “If clubs themselves are taking a lead about what standard of behavior and conduct they expect and what they won’t put up with, and if the football regulatory authority ... does likewise in the way it carries out its responsibilities with regards to conduct, then I think we can transform the game.” Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand, Anton’s brother, defended his response to a Twitter post that referred to Ashley Cole as a “choc-ice.” England player Cole gave evidence on behalf of Chelsea teammate Terry which prompted a Twitter user to write: “Looks like Ashley Cole’s going to be their choc ice. Then again he’s always been a sell out. Shame on him.” Ferdinand replied: “I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic! hahahahahahha!!” “Choc-ice,” meaning “black on the outside, white on the inside,” is a derogatory way of referring to people believed to have betrayed their ethnicity. Ferdinand, himself a Manchester United and England defender who often played alongside Terry at international level, said Sunday: “What I said yesterday is not a racist term. It’s a type of slang/term used by many for someone who is being fake. So there.” Terry was stripped of the England captaincy in February over the allegations. As a consequence, Fabio Capello resigned as England manager, just months before England competed at Euro 2012. Rio Ferdinand was left out of England’s squad, a decision manager Roy Hodgson insisted had been taken for “purely football” reasons. From DailyStar