Rio tweet reignites race row: Ferdinand accused in row over Twitter attack on Cole

Posted Sunday, July 15, 2012 by Dailymail

Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has re-ignited football’s racism row by appearing to endorse a Twitter insult aimed at Ashley Cole.

The defender responded to a tweet in which Chelsea star Cole was described as a ‘choc ice’ because of his role in the trial last week in which his club captain, John Terry, had been accused of racially abusing Ferdinand’s brother, QPR defender Anton.

Cole appeared as a witness for Terry’s defence and testified that his team-mate had not used racial language in his clash with Ferdinand as an insult, but was only repeating back the words after Ferdinand mistakenly believed he had used them.

Rio tweet reignites race row: Ferdinand accused in row over Twitter attack on Cole
At odds: Former England team-mates John Terry (left) Rio Ferdinand (centre) and Ashley Cole

The term ‘choc ice’ can be used as a racially insensitive term to describe black people who are seen to have betrayed their ethnicity.

Terry was cleared of racially aggravated abuse, a charge he had consistently denied.

The latest row began when a Twitter user sent Rio Ferdinand a public message which read: ‘Looks like Ashley Cole’s going to be their choc ice. Then again he’s always been a sellout. Shame on him.’
Ferdinand appeared to endorse the insult when he replied: ‘I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahahha!!’

However, Ferdinand then appeared to attempt to defuse the apparent insult by tweeting about ice cream. He wrote: ‘I’m more a cherry brandy man! Used to go for the twisters too back in the day! Classics.’

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