Terry the 'biggest idiot' after
racism row, says Ferdinand
The former England international has
slammed his former team-mate, and Ashley
Cole, for the racism row he labelled family
betrayal.
Chelsea captain John Terry
will always be "the biggest
idiot" for his role in the
2011 racism row, according
to QPR defender Rio
Ferdinand.
The 35-year-old claims he no longer speaks to
Terry or Ashley Cole after the ugly incident
involving his brother Anton, where Terry was
accused of calling him a "f****** black c***"
during a league game.
Team-mate Cole then supported the 33-year-old in
court but Ferdinand admitted his pain over the
situation and the roles played by both former
England colleagues.
"For me, the biggest idiot will always be John
Terry," Ferdinand writes in his autobiography, an
extract of which was published in The Sun on
Sunday.
"As England captain and my centre-back partner
he could have saved everyone a lot of pain by
admitting immediately he used the word in the
heat of the moment, but was no racist.
"I think that's probably what happened and what
the truth is. Anton and I would've accepted that –
instead he never gave us a chance.
"I've never actually spoken to John about the case.
I no longer talk to him, but even three years later
I find it impossible to forgive or forget the pain he
put us through."
Terry was cleared of racially abusing Anton in court
but the FA found him guilty of "using abusive and/
or insulting words and/or behaviour".
And Ferdinand said his friendship with Cole had
also ended when the left-back decided to support
Terry.
"Ashley Cole had long been a friend of mine.
We've known each other since we were kids," he
continued.
"But for me it ended the day he decided to go to
court in support of John Terry.
"Anton rang me and my head nearly blew off. He
was betraying Anton, who he'd also known for
years."