Updated 6.58pm
THE ENGLISH FA have launched a probe into allegations that their national captain, Chelsea’s John Terry, racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during Sunday’s Loftus Road derby.
Football chiefs confirmed the development in a statement on their website.
This evening, QPR chairman, Tony Fernandes also broke his silence on the matter. ”Queens Park Rangers Football Club does not condone racism in any way, shape or form,” he said on Rangers’ website.
“As a club, we will provide our players with our unequivocal support when alleged incidents like this occur.
“The club has, and will continue to support Kick It Out’s One Game, One Community initiative, football’s equality and inclusion campaign.”
Earlier, it was reported that Terry will be questioned by police.
A heated affair, the match on Sunday featured two red cards and series of ill-tempered exchanges between players. Afterwards, video circulated of Terry appearing to shout the phrase “fucking black c**t” in Ferdinand’s direction.
Terry, however, claimed he only used the phrase while repudiating an accusation of racism.
“I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him… I responded aggressively, saying I never used that term.”
Crucially, the moment at which Terry claims to have prefaced his words with the qualification “I never said that…” isn’t visible on the recording.
Though the England international suggested that both he and Ferdinand parted company on good terms, Ferdinand has yet to make his return to social media, of which he is an avid user, and is reported to be contemplating an official complaint.
In typically combative fashion, Terry told the Daily Mail that he’s do “whatever it takes to clear [his] name,” and that he wasn’t going to take “that level of abuse”.
