Chelsea captain John Terry cleared of racially abusing opponent in Premier League match

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Former England soccer captain and Chelsea player John Terry, center, arrives at Westminster Magistrates Courts in London, Friday, July 13, 2012. The racism trial of Terry began Monday with prosecutors claiming the Chelsea captain acknowledges using offensive language as a "sarcastic exclamation" in response to taunts that he allegedly had an affair. The England defender is accused of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, who is black, during a Premier League match in October. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

LONDON – A magistrate has cleared Chelsea captain John Terry of racially abusing an opponent during a Premier League match.

The case led to Terry being stripped of the England captaincy by the Football Association ahead of the European Championship and the departure of coach Fabio Capello who disagreed with the decision.

After hearing four days of evidence at a London court, chief magistrate Howard Riddle decided Friday that Terry was not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence in a confrontation with Queens Park Rangers player Anton Ferdinand during the match in October.

Terry maintained he only used an offensive term sarcastically to counter the obscenity he claims Ferdinand was accusing him of using.

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Abbey Westbury

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