Besides the boring football match that went on in West London between QPR and Chelsea (0-0 after 90 minutes), the biggest question was whether Anton Ferdinand will shake hands with John Terry, who stood trial for racially abusing the centre back last season, eventually found not guilty of the charges.
Ashley Cole testified in that trial, with Justice Riddle concluding that Terry in fact did use the words “fucking black cunt” and “fucking knobhead” although it is impossible to be sure exactly what were the words spoken by Terry at the relevant time and that there was a lack of evidence to prove beyond a doubt that Terry had used them as an insult instead of a challenge to what he believed had been said to him.
How is that different from the Luis Suarez case, with Evra also admitting to using some foul language against the Uruguayan striker? That’s a case for a different time, when we talk Manchester United and Alex Ferguson conspiracies. Terry walked free from the event, despite admitting he did say the words. When it’s in anger, and in retaliation, I guess it doesn’t count.
Ferdinand didn’t shake hands with both players, rushing by the Blues captain, who said a word or two to Anton as he walked past him, shoving the little kid he was holding hands with forward to get by the awkward situation. It’ll be interesting to see if Terry, who has already had a similar non-shake occasion with Wayne Bridge (because he did the dirty deed with Bridge’s girlfriend), will go on and get the same treatment from Rio Ferdinand, Anton’s twitter-loving brother, when Chelsea meet Manchester United later on this season.