The first reaction many people had when they found out about the FA slapping Terry with a four match ban was how can Terry be handed a such a short ban when Luis Suarez was handed an eight match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra? Others will question how someone cleared in a criminal court of an offense can then be found guilty by the FA for exactly the same thing?
The answer to the second question lies in the fact that the FA’s charge of “using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Ferdinand and which included a reference to colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3[2]" is a lot easier to be found guilty of than in a criminal court. In July chief magistrate Howard Riddle, who proceeded over Terry’s criminal trial, said there was not enough evidence to prove ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that Terry was guilty. However the FA clearly did not feel the same way. As the body that controls football in England, it was clear they want to make a point about a zero tolerance approach to racial abuse (although apparently they have no qualms about just about every other insult that is thrown between players every weekend in the Premier League).
So why has he been given a ban only half the length of Suarez’s? The panel during Suarez-Evra investigation said that using racial language was enough to constitute a breach of the FA rules, but the penalties have been vastly difference In the written reasons for Suarez's punishment, the commision hearing his case said the repetition of the word "negro" was "significantly more serious than a one-off use" and his ban was increased accordingly. But what if another incident happens like this in the future? Will the player get a four match ban – just one match longer than a regular red card offense – or will they get an eight match ban? Or perhaps somewhere in between? There doesn’t seem to be a concrete benchmark.
And what will all this mean for Terry and Chelsea? Three days ago he retired from international duty, saying the FA had made his position with England “untenable”. He will most likely be booed every time he touches a ball during an away game for the rest of his career. It is already a situation that had become familiar since the Loftus Road incident (and even further back when he had an affair with his then teammate Wayne Bridge’s girlfriend).
However his relatively early international retirement could end up having a positive impact for Chelsea. Like Paul Scholes – who retired from international duty in 2004 – not having to balance club and country duties could prolong Terry’s career at Chelsea well into his mid-to-late-30s. If he can get used to the concentrated verbal harassment from opposing fans, it could be a very lucrative outcome for the £150,000-a-week defender.
Terry has the ability to appeal against the verdic within 14 days if he wishes.