Football: Terry racism trial begins

LONDON: Chelsea and England defender John Terry ‘racially abused’ footballer Anton Ferdinand in response to taunts about his affair with a teammate’s girlfriend, a court heard yesterday. Terry was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence following the emergence of footage appearing to show him abusing the QPR defender during a Premier League match last October. “When someone brings your colour into it, it takes it to another level and it’s very hurtful,” Ferdinand told the court as he gave evidence. Terry maintains that he was only sarcastically repeating words that Ferdinand wrongly thought he had said earlier, the court heard. If found guilty, Terry could be fined up to £2,500. The trial is expected to last five days.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2012.