John Terry, who was handed a four-match ban for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in a Premier League match last year by the Football Association (FA), is taking his legal team's advice as to whether to appeal against the ban or not.
The Chelsea captain was also fined 220,000 pounds after he admitted he directed the words "f------ black c---" towards Ferdinand during their confrontation.
Terry was acquitted of criminal charges arising form the same incident in July, but the FA disciplinary arm pursued the case despite the not-guilty verdict at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
The defender was found guilty of using 'abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour, which included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race' by an Independent Regulatory Commission (IRC) convened by the FA.
According to The Telegraph, the IRC was chaired by barrister Craig Moore, and also included FA councillor Maurice Armstrong. Stuart Ripley, the former Blackburn Rovers winger, was a third member of the panel.
Matthew Johnson, FA's head of Regulatory Legal Advice, led the prosecution case.
The length of Terry's ban is sure to attract comment, being just one match more than players receive for violent conduct, and at the lower end of the scale for misconduct with racially aggravated circumstances, the paper reported.
The panel's reasoning should becoming clear in the full written judgment that will trigger a 14-day period in which Terry can appeal, but it is understood he will not challenge the decision unless he is advised he has legal grounds, the paper said.
The appeal can only address the legal basis of the decision and Terry is prepared to be guided by his legal team, led by George Carter-Stephenson QC, the paper concluded. (ANI)
