UK & World News
- 30 July 2012, 22:02
Rio Ferdinand Charged Over Twitter Comments
Rio Ferdinand has been charged by the Football Association over comments he made at the end of the John Terry trial.
Following Terry's acquittal for allegedly racially abusing Ferdinand's brother Anton, the Manchester United defender responded to a tweet that characterised Terry's Chelsea teammate Ashley Cole - a defence witness in the trial - as a "choc ice".
The term is commonly understood to mean "black on the outside, white on the inside" and was a reference to Cole's testimony in court, in which he said he never heard Terry make a racist remark towards Anton Ferdinand during a match at Loftus Road in October.
An FA statement said: "The FA has today charged Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand with improper conduct in relation to comments posted on Twitter.
"The allegation is that the player acted in a way which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute by making comments which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race."
Ferdinand has until 4pm on Thursday to respond to the charge.
The move extends still further a case which has cast a shadow over the game for more than nine months now.
Last week, Terry was charged with improper conduct by the FA for the comments he made to Anton Ferdinand, a charge he has vowed to contest.
Now, Rio Ferdinand must clear his name or risk a hefty fine or potential suspension ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
Update:
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what do you think?
Michael Mcardle
this whole attitude towards so called racism is out of control. its absolutely ridiculous charging people because of something they may or may not have said. what are we going to do strike the word choc ice from the english language. blackboard that going to be banned too.there are many other words far to numerous to mention . its time we got a grip and stopped being so stupid. all we do when bringing cases like this is highlight racism its blown all out of proportion in my view.
Chris Robinson
And we mustn't highlight racism, must we, Michael, that would never do. Best brush it under the carpet so people obsessed with race and anti-immigrant views can have free range to be despicable and blame all the ills of society on ethnic minorities.
Chris Robinson
And, just in case you're about to launch a diatribe about how people who are anti-racist, aren't anti-racist towards Asians and black people who make racist comments, I'll pre-empt you there by saying I'm against ALL forms of racism no matter who is spouting it - Rio Ferdinand or you.
Dave Harrison
Chris. I think the high profile we give to so called racist comments bring the whole racism issue into disrepute. The way black people were treated in the 60's was scandalous and rightly stopped but it is now out of control with piddling little comments being seized upon by the PC zealots. It does those blacks suffering real discrimination no favours
Chris Robinson
I think you have a point there, Dave, in 'piddling' an awful lot of black/Asian people would laugh off or shrug their shoulders at such playground name-calling and rightly so. That is often the right and adult thing to do, but there are those people who have been bullied, abused, beaten up, not been able to find employment, made to feel unwelcome and inferior by such a pervasive atmosphere aided and abetted by such remarks in the playground - ie. kids. So we have to be mindful of what kind of environment we're creating, where people will be de-sensitised to racist outlooks, a road that, in some instances, can lead to a casual knife in the belly (Stephen Lawrence, London), a random bullet in the head (Anju Bidve, Salford).
TIM x
As I said before. Premiership footballers are children with way too much pocket money. When will this nonsense end? Ferdinand needs his computer taken away and sent to bed early. The same as I would do with my ten year old
happymike CHESTER
It is time for all players to thrash this out , what's said at the heat of the game is usually regretted and a hands shake at the end should be it. Players are turning it into a lawyers dream.Grow up.
aa aa
Lol, a walnut whip.
Adrian Wagstaff
Well, if the government and legal system of the United Kingdom decide that ... one adult is not entitled to call another adult ... a "choc ice" ... who are we to argue? Say, I decided to call someone, for instance ... an apple? Or ... a biscuit? ... I might wonder about calling someone a goldfish in a glass bowl? Is that also unnacceptable? This is pathetic, really. 2012 and humanity have evolved to ban the term "choc ice" due to it seeming offensive. What of 2013 or 2014 or 2015???
Chris Robinson
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
Dave Harrison
Adrian. Fair comment. Be afraid, be very afraid. Soon we will grow to fear the knock on the door in the dead of night like those in the totalitarian regimes of old
Chris Robinson
We certainly will, Dave, especially if the likes of the BNP/EDL ever come to power. See you in the labour camp, bagsy the top bunk in hut 23.
Name witheld
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Name witheld
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simon calvert
Its racist he should be charged by the police too......come on where are all you lefties calling for John Terrys head can't hear you shouting about this one...lol....bigots and hypocrites with mega chips on shoulders perhaps...!
simon calvert
Perhaps I should add I'm a milky bar kid...
Emma Barrett
exactly
Chris Robinson
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
Chris Robinson
This 'leftie' condemned that racist 'choc ice' comment from the start so you're wrong on that one.
Dave Harrison
Chris. That you did sunshine right from the start
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simon calvert
Why have they removed our comments..? There was nothing offensive in the slightest.. What are you doing orange are you insane..?
Dave Harrison
Simon. Just learn to live with it. There is no logic behind what they do other than hiding behind catch all rules & regulations
t.bulgin
Im no leftie, far from it but i was calling for jts head. just cos im a bit right wing dosn't make me a racist. the left have fooled everyone into thinking that they stand on the moral high ground with everything. not true at all. I abhore raciscm but I dont agree with our immigration policies. the nasty trick the left played was to convince people that was a racist attitude. (just a cheap way to silence their critics). Tha kind of nasty racist comments made by JT and the subsequent measly pathetic excuse for it is unacceptible. hes a horrible bully who should have been found guilty.
t.bulgin
JT got off ona technicallity. Antons brother was just trying to stand up for him in any way he could. after the result in court he must have wanted to punch terrys lights out, I would have found that perfectly understandable.
Dave Harrison
Tb. Too right. For far too long anyone who said I am concerned about the level of immigration was shouted down as a racist instead of engaging in dialogue about their concerns. Remember Gillian Duffy who was slagged of by the PM at the time for just that.
Chris Robinson
I'm always willing to debate immigration. It's when it descends into blatant racism. If it's a question of numbers, what would happen if every immigrant was deported to their homeland (no matter what skin colour). Don't you think each country would react the same way and deport every ex-pat Brit, and I think you would find there's more Brits living a abroad than immigrants in this country so 'resources' would be even more stretched. But, if it's a question of skin colour, that speaks for itself. The question of scarce resources lies in the wealth in this country being held in too few hands and what would I propose to do about that? Well, many of my posts make that clear, no need to run thorugh that here.
shirley sutton
Political correctness gone mad - getting really pathetic now
J R
I thought the phrase was bounty bar - oh well - insults evelove I guess. I'm delighted he's being charged - pot calling the kettle black comes to mind.....
d and d Phillips
As the years roll by we grow more and more childish. Who will rid us of this petulant PC Brigade?
Dave Harrison
David. I fear you are right. The race relations industry has grown and grown since 1975. How long before you are accused of racism if you ask for a tin of black paint. And it will come believe me
Chris Robinson
That's a bit silly, Dave H, come on now. Ha. Ha. Ha. And David, this 'PC Brigade' as invented by the likes of the Sun and the Mail, is just a cover for the fact they don't like all things progressive so they have, over the years, run stories (aided and abetted by MPs such as Peter Lilley - remember his Tory Party speech about 'Hopscotch for Asian Women' ) like the PC Brigade want manholes referred to as 'Person Holes', what twaddle. There may well be some instances where it borders on the ridiculous, but, you know what? For all its faults, I don't want to go back to the days of B&B ads saying 'No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs' etc. I'd rather be PC than PB (politically backward).
Paul H
You do all realise that it was someone else who tweeted that comment. All Rio did was say 'ha choc ice, nice one' All he did was laugh at SOMEBODY ELSES comment. Get a grip people!
simon calvert
You're condoning racism...lol
Dave Harrison
Paul. Tend to agree but even that is becoming a hanging offence in good old multicultural TOLERANT Britain
Steven Jones
This comment has been removed for violations of our Terms and Conditions.
keithnmoe
What a sad sad world we live when people are being slaughtered over the right to have the same freedom of speech we have in this country and all they can talk about is a choc ice comment. The initials of FA say it all .
Dave Harrison
You are absolutely right. People are being killed fighting for the same right which the Racism lobby & PC brigade are busily eroding in this country. Thought police not far away
movvi
Spot on.
Debra Wiseman
Don't care
Rob Shaw
Obviously cared enough to read the story, rending your comment idiotic
Dave Harrison
This is getting silly. How long before we are being stopped in the street and asked what we are thinking. Personally I am at a loss to understand the verdict in the JT case but equally I am puzzled why Anton Ferdinand has not been charged by the FA along with JT. And as for Rio why did he not just accept what we all know about Choc ice instead of coming up with all sorts of ludicrous explanations about fake etc
Chris Robinson
Have to agree, David. Pretending that 'Choc Ice' meant 'fake' is clearly a weak attempt at back-pedalling. To me, the expression means a dergatory term from a black man castigating another black man for 'daring' to side with 'white values' (whatever they are). The phrase was clearly suggesting Cole is not a 'pure black man' (whatever that is). In my book, just as bad as any white racist rambling on about 'pure aryanism' or 'white supremacy'. To some, it will pass over their heads, to others, it can be an insult.
Chris Robinson
However, Dave, The first part of your post, and that reply to Keithnmoe's below doesn't quite tally with the second part.
Dave Harrison
Got it in one Chris
Dave Harrison
Chris. I think Terry is being charged with being abusive twds another player and not using racist comments and that is why I am puzzled as to why A.Ferdinand is not being charged. As for Rio its not what was said it is the pathetic attempt he made to wriggle out of it when he saw the reaction of others
Chris Robinson
Yes. He does seem to be trying desperately to extract his size ten from his mouth, doesn't he?
movvi
Gosh! Remember Funny Feet?! I'm probably one of those. Or a Mini Milk, perhaps. It's all just so silly now and I genuinely believe that this whole mess is really patronising to black people - those who have commented on it to me think it's very frustrating. Racism just passes over their heads as the foolish babblings of the uneducated.
Dave Harrison
Patronising indeed. My biggest grouse is that it is usually white people who keep telling me how black & asian people feel about certain words, displays or actions. In many cases they aren't bothered at all but at least it keeps the race relations zealots in a job and that is what they are really about
marc H
Im lost tbh. Free speech means exactly that. To be able to say what you think without recourse. where do you draw the line to deny 'free speech'? May I quote Voltaire? 'I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
Chris Robinson
Voltaire quote, fair enough. But then certain people should keep in mind the same right others have in challenging racist views instead of being castigated for being one of the 'PC Brigade'. They can't have it both ways. 'I've got freedom of speech and can say anything I please, but if you defend the people I'm attacking, you're a leftie communist PC windbag'. They can't have it both ways and try to deny the same rights of freedom of speech to others that disagree. Now THAT'S hypocritical.
Christopher Hodson
freedom of speach used be a right but not anymore. In this restrictive country where peoples rights have been reduced by stealth practices of the government. Why is anyone suprissed you onlly have some freedom of speach providing no one objects to what you may agree with or say. The FA needs to get a life
andy may
3:52pm on 30/7/2012
when will they learn? keep mouth shut, kick ball at goal, spend shiny money on trash.