- Twitter user brands Cole a 'choc ice' - often understood to mean 'black on the outside, white on the inside' - for defending John Terry in trial
- Terry was cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence after being accused of calling Rio's brother Anton a 'f****** black c***' during a match
- Rio today tweets that he was not being racist adding term is used 'for someone who is being fake'
By Rob Preece
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Rio Ferdinand has reignited the John Terry racism row by appearing to endorse a Twitter attack on fellow England footballer Ashley Cole.
Ferdinand, whose brother Anton accused Terry of racist abuse during a Premier League match, publicly supported a tweet that referred to Cole as a 'choc ice'.
The comment was made only days after Terry was cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence after a trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court, at which his Chelsea team-mate Cole gave evidence as a defence witness.
The term 'choc ice' is often understood to mean 'black on the outside, white on the inside'.
This morning Rio Ferdinand had deleted his tweet of endorsement, but he insisted that the term referred to someone who was fake and did not have any racist connotations.
Race row: Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand, left, is facing criticism after apparently endorsing a Twitter attack branding Ashley Cole, right, a 'choc ice' for being a defence witness in John Terry's race abuse trial
After the 'choc ice' comment was widely criticised by Twitter users, the Manchester United defender, who has more than three million followers, wrote: 'What I said yesterday is not a racist term.
'Its (sic) a type of slang/term used by many for someone who is being fake. So there.'
It comes after Terry was cleared of subjecting Rio Ferdinand's brother Anton, a Queens Park Rangers defender, to a volley of racist abuse during a Premier League match last October.
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The Twitter exchange began when someone sent Rio Ferdinand a tweet about Cole's involvement in the trial.
The person wrote: 'Looks like Ashley Cole's going to be their choc ice.
'Then again he's always been a sell out.
'Shame on him.'
Laughing off: Rio Ferdinand appears to endorse the tweet branding Ashley Cole a 'choc ice' by responding: 'I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic. Hahahahahahhha!!'
Rio Ferdinand today said his retweet was not racist
Rio, who played with Terry at the heart of England's defence and whose parents attended every day of the five-day trial in support of his brother, replied: 'I hear you fella!
'Choc ice is classic! hahahahahahha!!'
After Twitter users began reacting to the comments, Ferdinand wrote: 'And if I want to laugh at something someone tweets....I will! Hahahahaha! Now stop getting ya knickers in a twist!'
Cole, who told the court he was a long-standing friend of the Ferdinand brothers, later sought to calm the situation and issued a statement through his lawyers.
It said: 'Ashley Cole has been made aware of the discussion following comments appearing on Twitter and wishes to make it clear that he and Rio Ferdinand are good friends and Ashley has no intention of making any sort of complaint.
Key moment: Terry and QPR's Anton Ferdinand clash during the Barclays Premier League match at Loftus Road
'Ashley appreciates that Tweeting is so quick it often results in off-hand and stray comments.'
The original tweet was believed to have been made by a man from Derbyshire.
A Derbyshire Police spokeswoman today said the force had received no complaints over the matter.
Prosecutors alleged that Terry had maliciously called Anton Ferdinand a 'f****** black c***' during a match on October 23 last year.
Terry was said to have made the comments after being taunted over his affair with team-mate Wayne Bridge?s girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel.
The Chelsea captain admitted calling Anton Ferdinand a ?f****** black c***? and a ?f****** k***head? as they squared up on the pitch at Loftus Road. However he was only responding to words already spoken by Anton Ferdinand.
Relieved: The former England captain was flanked by security guards as he left the court after being cleared
Mobbed: Terry made no comment as he left the court building to shouts of support from crowds waiting outside
Terry, 31, claimed he was simply repeating the words after being falsely accused of saying them.
'IT'S ONE RULE FOR US AND IT'S ONE FOR JOHN TERRY': 'SHOCKED' ANTON FERDINAND SPEAKS OUT AFTER ENGLAND STAR'S ACQUITTAL
Anton Ferdinand fears for football's future and believes John Terry's acquittal sends out the wrong message to young people, it was reported today.
Reacting to the court's verdict for the first time, Ferdinand said he was shocked and disappointed by the ruling.
The Queen's Park Rangers player told the People: 'It is one rule for us, and one rule for John Terry.'
Ferdinand, who was not present in court when the verdict was read out, is in Malaysia for his club's pre-season tour of the Far East.
A source close to the player told the newspaper he was pleased to be out of the country during the fallout from the case.
'He needs to come to terms with what has happened because he is very, very disappointed,' the source said.
'Anton has been getting brilliant support from his team-mates.'
Terry claimed that, as the pair traded insults, he heard Ferdinand say: ?Calling me a black c***??, and that he replied: ?A black c***? You f****** k***head.?
The players met in the Chelsea changing room after the match and shook hands, writing it all off as ?handbags? and on-pitch ?banter?.
Even when he was shown footage of the incident on YouTube, Anton Ferdinand did nothing.
But an off-duty police officer watching on TV, who claimed to be able to lip read, complained to the Metropolitan Police that a racially-aggravated offence had taken place.
In the weeks that followed Terry was stripped of the England captaincy and lost a fortune in sponsorship deals. England manager Fabio Capello resigned in a row over the move.
Cole gave evidence for his Chelsea and England team-mate during the trial and told the court that the case should not have gone ahead.
?We shouldn?t be sitting here,? Cole said.
He said that while racism should never be tolerated, saying back what you thought someone said was ?completely different?.
Cole said he did not hear what Terry said to Ferdinand despite being only about a car-length away from the row.
But he said he saw Ferdinand shouting either the word ?black? or ?Bridgey? ? an apparent reference to Wayne Bridge ? and make a lewd gesture at Terry.
Cole said he told Ferdinand: ?What you?re doing to JT [Terry] is out of order?. He added that he did not shake Ferdinand?s hand after the game.
Anton Ferdinand, pictured leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court after giving evidence accused Terry of racially abusing him
The left-back said abuse towards Terry over his affair with Miss Perroncel was commonplace during games, but he had never seen him react to it, explaining: ?He would probably laugh about it, it?s part and parcel of the game and you get used to it.?
Cole was supported by a host of football stars, Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and the club's former manager Jose Mourinho, who vouched that Terry was not racist.
Cole described Terry as a good friend and a great captain.
He said: ?He?s one of the best, very inspirational. He gets the team? going in big games. He?s cool, calm and collected.?
Terry was acquitted on Friday. Ferdinand was not at the hearing as he was flying from Heathrow with the QPR squad for a pre-season tour of the Far East.
Chief magistrate Howard Riddle, who is also a district judge, said there was not enough evidence to prove ?beyond reasonable doubt? that Terry was guilty.
He said TV footage did not show the complete exchange, meaning it was impossible to be sure exactly what was said.
Not present: QPR footballer Anton Ferdinand, pictured leaving Heathrow for a tour of the Far East, was not in court for the verdict
?In those circumstances, there being a doubt, the only verdict the court can record is one of not guilty,? the magistrate said.
He added: 'There is no doubt that John Terry uttered the words 'f****** black c***' at Anton Ferdinand. When he did so he was angry.
'Mr Ferdinand says that he did not precipitate this comment by himself, accusing Mr Terry of calling him a black c***.
'Even with all the help the court has received from television footage, expert lip readers, witnesses and indeed counsel, it is impossible to be sure exactly what were the words spoken by Mr Terry at the relevant time.'
Both Terry and Anton Ferdinand could face disciplinary action after the FA decided to reopen its inquiry into the incident.
The FA, who had a lawyer attending every day of the trial, said they would look at the findings of the court case before deciding whether or not to bring any proceedings against the players.
The FA will decide whether Terry should still be charged with using abusive and insulting words and with making reference to Ferdinand?s ethnic origin and colour.
Ferdinand could be charged with bringing the game into disrepute for the comments he made during the exchange.
Court scene: Chief magistrate Howard Riddle, who is also a district judge, said there was not enough evidence to prove 'beyond reasonable doubt' that Terry was guilty
Charges can still be brought by the FA against Terry even thought he was acquitted in court because they have a lower burden of proof - Liverpool's Luis Suarez was banned last season for racially abusing Patrice Evra but that case never went to court.
In a brief statement an FA spokesman said: 'The FA notes the decision in the John Terry case and will now seek to conclude its own enquiries.'
Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, says revelations about the obscene remarks which are exchanged during matches have damaged the game's reputation.
Taylor has urged the FA to ensure that players understand their responsibilities as role models next season.
He also suggested the FA are in 'a difficult position' over whether they charge Terry.
Taylor said: 'It has been an unedifying process and the game has been damaged as a result of the dirty linen being washed in public.
Even if he had been convicted, Terry would have faced a fine of just ?2,500, a fraction of his reported ?130,000 weekly wage.
But taxpayers will pick up a bill of up to ?500,000 for the prosecution.
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