FOOTBALL’S racism row refused to go away yesterday after Rio Ferdinand was forced to defend himself against claims that he had applauded a racially loaded comment made about Ashley Cole on Twitter. After receiving a public message from @CarltonEBanks, accusing Cole of being a “choc-ice” and a “sellout,” a reply from Ferdinand’s account came back: “I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahahha!”
The tweet was soon deleted, after criticism from other users. “Choc-ice” — brown on the outside, white on the inside — can be used as a slur on those perceived to have betrayed their colour. When challenged by other tweeters, Ferdinand’s first response was: “If I want to laugh at something someone tweets . . . I will! Hahahaha! Now stop getting ya knickers in a twist.” He followed this by tweeting: “It’s Sarcasm!” Cole’s solicitor then issued a statement explaining that his client “wishes to make it clear that he and Rio Ferdinand are good friends and [he] has no intention of making any sort of complaint”.
The original tweeter had taken exception to Cole giving evidence in support of his Chelsea teammate, John Terry, in the trial at which Terry was cleared of racially abusing Rio Ferdinand’s brother, Anton — even though Cole, who described himself as a friend of the Ferdinand brothers, appeared a “reluctant” witness.
