John Terry Race Row: A Tabloid Hoax And Applying The Principles

JOHN Terry Race Row: Anorak’s at-a-glance look at the Chelsea and England captain in the news.

Is John Terry a racist because he used the world “fu**ing black c***” towards QPR’s Anton Ferdinand? Terry says no. The police are investigating. The only evidence we’ve seen of any wrongdoing is an out-of-context YouTube clip. But, still, sections of the media are gunning for Terry, who once, allegedly, tried to silence them them with a super-injunction. Is the media out for revenge? Will a tabloid soon ask: “So. Why hasn’t Terry Cheated On His White Wife With A Black Woman?”

The Sun: “JT probe over teen race rant”

Cops investigated John Terry over a recording in which a man is heard calling a teenager a “black c***”, The Sun can reveal. The England and Chelsea skipper was alleged to have been the man on the tape — and the words are the same as those he is accused of screaming at QPR’s Anton Ferdinand last month.

Some coincidence.

On the recording of a mobile phone call, the man goes berserk and shouts at a teenage boy: “Let’s f***ing meet up then and I’ll f***ing bang you out, you little mug, you little black c***.”

Bang you out?

A race hate investigation was launched by Kent and Essex Special Crime Directorate. But it was dropped and no charges brought amid claims that the recording was a hoax.

So. It was a lie that makes it into the Sun. Why repeat the lie? Why not mention the word “hoax” or “lie” in the headline?

Jason Burt, Telegraph:

Indeed the right thing to do would appear to be for Terry to release a statement reiterating his innocence but opting out because of the sensitivities of the case and the attention. It would take the pressure off everyone. That would be very harsh on an innocent man but it may be the honourable thing to do.

If you are innocent, you should not give an inch. You hold your head high and carry on.

Oliver Kay, The Times:

The FA needs to determine whether, on principle, it would be right for Terry to play for his country while he is being investigated not only by English football’s governing body but also by the Metropolitan Police over his verbal exchange with Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat by Queens Park Rangers last month.

Principle is that magic word that makes lawyers see pound signs. There is no principle. There are only facts.

Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), has insisted that Terry should be included rather than being punished without being found guilty of any offence.
“The key principle is that people should be assumed to be innocent until they are proved guilty and if you start to penalise players before they are found culpable of any guilt, that’s going down a dangerous road,” Taylor said.If John Terry wants to play then you don’t want to assume anyone is guilty until the facts are established.”

Such are the facts…

Nov 3: John Terry: Blaming The White Working Class For Chelsea Captain’s Trials

Nov 2: John Terry Race Row: Racist Chelsea Fans And Newcastle’s Zero Tolerance

November 1: QPR’s Anton Ferdinand Retweets His Views On Chelsea’s John Terry?

November 1: John Terry’s Racism: Matthew Syed Insults Chelsea’s André Villas-Boas

October 31: Chelsea’s John Terry Is Innocent: Daily Mail And Stan Collymore See what They Want To See On YouTube

October 30: The Hollow John Terry Racism Debate: After Cantona and Kitson, The Chelsea Captain Matters

October 29: Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand Blasts John Terry? Daily Mail Guns For Chelsea Captain

October 28: John Terry Racism Row: Chelsea’s Andre Villas-Boas And Arsenal’s Wenger Are Badly Wrong

October 27: Why Is The Daily Mail In A Rush To Find Chelsea’s John Terry Guilty Of (Alleged) Racism?

October 27: Chelsea’s John Terry Is Being Tried By A Vengeful Media That Excuses Racism

October 26: Daily Mail Says Racism Is No Big Deal: Black Footballers Should Complain About More Important Things