Rio Ferdinand has called John Terry an 'idiot' for his role in the racial abuse incident involving Ferdinand's brother, Anton. In his forthcoming autobiography, the Queens Park Rangers defender expresses a deep sense of betrayal, claiming the fallout wrecked his international career.
The incident occurred during a west London derby in October 2011, when Terry was accused of calling Anton Ferdinand a 'fucking black cunt'. Terry denied the charge, claiming he was repeating words he believed Anton had said. He was acquitted in a criminal trial in July 2012 but later found guilty by an FA disciplinary panel, receiving a four-match ban and £220,000 fine.
Ferdinand was omitted from England's Euro 2012 squad, effectively ending his international career. He believes Terry could have avoided the controversy by admitting his actions in the heat of the moment. 'For me the biggest idiot will always be John Terry,' Ferdinand writes.
He also criticises former friend Ashley Cole for giving evidence in Terry's defence. Ferdinand says the friendship ended when Cole chose to support Terry in court. 'He was betraying Anton, who he'd also known for years.'
The fallout extended beyond football, with Ferdinand revealing that his family received bullets in the post and his mother had her windows smashed, leading to hospitalisation due to stress.
