ANTON FERDINAND will decide today whether to report the Chelsea captain John Terry to the English Football Association over an alleged racist slur, after speaking with the manager at Queens Park Rangers, Neil Warnock.

Video footage circulated of an incident towards the end of QPR’s 1-0 victory in which it has been suggested Terry calls the defender a “f***ing black c**t”. Terry denies it and issued a statement on Sunday evening in which he claimed viewers had “leapt to the wrong conclusions about the context of what I was seen to be saying to Anton Ferdinand”.

Terry said he had been responding to accusations from the opposing centre-half that he had used racist language.

“I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him,” he said. “I responded aggressively, saying I never used that term.”

The key part of the footage, where the England captain said he shouted “Oi, Anton, I never said . . .”, is obscured by Ashley Cole walking across the shot.

The furore over the incident is understood to have spilled into the tunnel after the final whistle. Terry and the home goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny, continued arguments that had sparked on the pitch, and other players are believed to have become involved outside the dressingrooms.

Terry said he had spoken to Ferdinand once tempers had calmed “and there was no problem between us”, saying the incident had been “a misunderstanding”. Yet the notion that the pair departed amicably has been rejected by sources at QPR. The club have declined to comment publicly and Ferdinand has maintained silence.

The Rangers players were given the day off yesterday but will report back to training this morning. The club made preliminary contact with him by text yesterday, with the defender and one of his representatives to meet Warnock after training. It is understood the player and the club were minded to pursue the matter last night, though the 26-year-old asked to sleep on the matter.

Should a complaint be made and if Terry is found guilty, any charge would inevitably have serious repercussions for his position as England captain. The FA declined to comment but does technically have it within its power to investigate, even if no formal complaint is made.

Guardian Service