John Terry believes he did not receive a fair trial from the Football Association (FA) when they found him guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. At the time, he did not appeal the verdict and accepted the imposed four-match ban and a £220k fine, ultimately retiring from international football. In a podcast interview, he claimed that evidence used in his court case was refused by the FA.

Terry expressed disappointment in the actions of the FA, stating that his demand for evidence from the court of law was refused, and board members were not allowed to give their side of the story. He felt that the FA had made up their mind from the outset and that the trial was not fair. Terry also expressed regret that a more powerful action could have been taken by players to address the issue of racism in the game, mentioning that he tried to speak to Rio Ferdinand, but was refused any interaction.

On the other hand, Rio Ferdinand, the alleged victim, recounted feeling probed and not supported during his interview with the FA, adding that the interviews with alleged victims were not recorded at that time. Both players’ accounts shed light on the controversy surrounding the trial and its impact on their relationships and perspectives on the issue of racism in football.