Ferdinand charged by FA over 'choc ice' tweet allegedly aimed at Cole after Terry racism trial

Rio Ferdinand will consult  lawyers before deciding whether he will contest  Monday's FA charge for his ‘choc ice’ tweet.
The Manchester United defender has until 4pm on Thursday to respond after the FA charged him with making improper comments which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race.
The initial ‘choc ice’ remark about Ashley Cole came two days after the Chelsea defender gave evidence on behalf of team-mate John Terry in his race trial concerning Ferdinand’s brother Anton. Ferdinand initially responded to a tweet accusing Cole of being a ‘choc ice’ — street slang for being black on the outside and white on the inside.

Charged: Rio Ferdinand is in bother over a comment he responded to on Twitter

 

Ferdinand tweeted: ‘I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic. Hahahahahaha!!’ He later deleted the tweet and claimed on Twitter that it was slang for someone being ‘fake’.

It appears that the FA have not accepted his explanation and Ferdinand has the option of a personal hearing.
The Ferdinand charge came on the day it emerged that the FA’s case against Terry will dog Roy Hodgson’s preparations for England’s August 15 friendly against Italy.

Terry requested a personal hearing after being charged under Rule E3 for allegedly making racist remarks towards Anton Ferdinand at Loftus Road last October. Terry’s legal team must agree on a mutually acceptable date for the case to be heard.

Testimony: Ashley Cole gave evidence at John Terry's trial at the start of July

Hodgson has been told he can continue to pick the deposed England skipper, but the ongoing case will be a cloud over the first international of the season.
The FA were also taking the landmark case of Mark McCammon into account yesterday, after the former Gillingham player succeeded in his claim for ‘racial victimisation’.
McCammon claimed at an employment tribunal that the League Two club treated black players differently.
The striker told the tribunal he was made to drive four miles through heavy snow to have treatment on an injury, while a white team-mate, who lived further away, had been told by the physio that he did not have to report.

Trial: John Terry (left) was found not guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match in October last year

When McCammon was told he would be fined if he did not arrive by midday, he claimed he was threatened by Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler.
McCammon also said he was fined two weeks’ wages when he went to a private consultant over an injury instead of going to the NHS as told by the club.
‘This is a landmark ruling,’ said Lord Herman Ouseley, chairman of Kick It Out.

‘It will inevitably have  implications for all clubs.’