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.
