John Terry has been banned for four matches and fined £220,000 after being found guilty of using racially abusive language towards Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
The Chelsea captain was found guilty of using “abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour, which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race” by an independent FA tribunal after a four-day hearing at Wembley.
The charges stem from an exchange between Terry and Ferdinand in a Premier League match at Loftus Road in October last year.
In July Terry was cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence at Westminster Magistrates Court, but the FA brought disciplinary charges under its own rules.
Terry has 14 days to appeal against the judgment following receipt of the full written judgment. The four-match ban is suspended pending an appeal or a decision not to appeal by Terry. Were he to accept the suspension
In a statement issued by his management company following the verdict Terry said he was disappointed that the FA commission had reached a different conclusion to the criminal trial and will consider the written judgment before deciding on any appeal.
Mr. Terry is disappointed that the FA Regulatory Commission has reached a different conclusion to the clear not guilty verdict of a court of law,” it said. “He has asked for the detailed written reasons of the decision and will consider them carefully before deciding whether to lodge an appeal.”
Terry has already prepared the ground for for defeat, with his retirement from international football on the eve of the hearing an expression of his frustration with the FA, as well as a means of setting the context for a pivotal week in his career.
Terry will have 14 days to appeal against any guilty verdict from the receipt of the panel’s written reasons, meaning the affair could drag on deep into next month if he chooses to contest a guilty verdict. The FA could also appeal were it to be unhappy with the verdict.
He will be available to play this weekend against Arsenal.
In a statement the FA said: “An Independent Regulatory Commission has today [Thursday 27 September 2012] found a charge of misconduct against John Terry proven and has issued a suspension for a period of four matches and a fine of £220,000, pending appeal.
“The Football Association charged Mr Terry on Friday 27 July 2012 with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards QPR’s Anton Ferdinand and which included a reference to colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3[2] in relation to the Queens Park Rangers FC versus Chelsea FC fixture at Loftus Road on 23 October 2011.
“The charge was the result of The FA’s long-standing investigation into this matter, which was placed on hold at the request of the Crown Prosecution Service and Mr Terry’s representatives pending the outcome of the criminal trial.
“A hearing took place from 24-27 September 2012 before an Independent Regulatory Commission of The FA to consider the charge.
“The decision of the Independent Regulatory Commission is as follows:
Mr Terry be suspended from all domestic club football until such time as Chelsea’s First Team have completed four competitive matches and fined the sum of £220,000.
“The Independent Regulatory Commission will provide written reasons for its decision in due course. Mr Terry has the right to appeal the decision of the Independent Regulatory Commission to an Appeal Board. An appeal must be lodged within 14 days from receipt of the written reasons for the decision.
“The penalty is suspended until after the outcome of any appeal, or the time for appealing expires, or should Mr Terry decide not to appeal. The reason for this is to ensure that the penalty does not take effect before any appeal so that Mr Terry has an effective right of appeal.”
The four-man panel hearing the case has heard evidence from both Terry and Ferdinand, as well as supportive testimony from Ashley Cole, Ray Wilkins, Fabio Capello and his assistant as England manager Franco Baldini, who both provided character references for the former England captain.
Terry’s barrister, George Carter-Stephenson QC, initially argued that the FA case should be thrown out because the player had been cleared of criminal charges earlier this year.
Terry was cleared despite admitting using the offensive language, but claiming it was in the context of a question to Ferdinand. Terry said he was trying to ascertain whether Ferdinand thought he had used the words in an offensive context earlier in the match.
