Share

Terry 'victim' issues statement

London - QPR defender Anton Ferdinand on Monday spoke out for the first time about the racism row with John Terry, saying he had "very strong feelings" about the incident which is the subject of a Football Association investigation.

The player said: "Today (Monday) I finalised my statement with the Football Association with regards to the incident that occurred last Sunday (October 23) at Loftus Road in our Premier League fixture against Chelsea.

"I have very strong feelings on the matter, but in the interests of fairness and not wishing to prejudice what I am sure will be a very thorough inquiry by the FA, this will be my last comment on the subject until the inquiry is concluded."

Terry has denied racially abusing Ferdinand, who he admitted had accused him of making a racist remark.

The Chelsea defender insists his comments were taken out of context and that he had actually been denying using the slur in question.

Both players returned to action this weekend, with Terry captaining the Blues to defeat against Arsenal on Saturday, and Ferdinand playing for QPR in Sunday's 3-1 loss at Tottenham.

Ferdinand received high praise from his QPR manager Neil Warnock on Sunday for the way he has handled himself throughout the saga, and the defender returned the compliment, thanking his boss and the club's hierarchy for their support.

He added in his statement: "I would like to thank the club, Tony Fernandes, Amit Bhatia, Neil Warnock, the supporters and my fellow professionals for their unwavering support."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE