Ferdinand: No feud with Kick It Out

03 October 2014 07:16

Rio Ferdinand believes Kick It Out was "scared" to gain maximum exposure for the fight against racism in sport during John Terry's trial for racial abuse.

The former England defender, who is now at QPR, has responded to claims he has treated the anti-racism group as a "punchbag" by insisting he has "no personal feud" with the organisation's chief, Herman Ouseley.

Ferdinand stuck to his guns at the official launch of his latest autobiography '#2sides', in which he criticises Kick It Out and Lord Ouseley.

Former Manchester United centre-back Ferdinand said he did not need to be in court every day to offer support to brother Anton, who had levelled the accusations of racist abuse against Chelsea defender Terry.

"I've got no personal feud with the Kick It Out organisation or Lord Ouseley or whoever," said Ferdinand.

"This was just from my personal and my family's perspective. We were the ones involved and this was how I saw it.

"As a footballer growing up in the game I always backed the Kick It Out campaigns. I've always been one of the first to put my hand up and speak out against it and for them. I never had a problem with them.

"This issue happened, a huge issue, a worldwide issue, all the cameras in the world were on it.

"My point was if you went out to Joe Bloggs on the street and asked what is the guy's name from Kick It Out and what does he look like, they wouldn't be able to give you the slightest answer.

"That was my whole point, exposure, tell people you're involved - why are you scared?

"They'd been waiting for a case of this size to come around to get exposure, this is the time. Why turn away from it?"

Lord Ouseley told the Guardian that Kick It Out can be an easy target, admitting frustrations with Ferdinand's outspoken comments.

"It rankles in every sense that it sends out the wrong message," he said.

"Nobody can ever say a player has come to us and we have not supported them.

"Unfortunately we are the punchbag for some people and it's easy to have a punchbag like us.

"Rio should not be attacking the weakest point."

Ferdinand explained his gripe with the anti-racism organisation stemmed from Kick It Out's refusal to capitalise on Terry's trial, where the Chelsea and England defender was subsequently cleared.

"Over my career I'd always been asked to wear a T-shirt and I'd always done that and that's for exposure, to give the organisation the exposure it needs to keep spreading the word," said Ferdinand.

"This opportunity came and my question to them was: 'you wear a T-shirt on the way into that courtroom, you let people know what this case is about, not just for my brother, but you're here for two footballers in a racism case'.

"I said 'you're a part of it, the organisation standing shoulder to shoulder with these guys', and they didn't. So that's my point.

"I haven't got a feud with Lord Ouseley. He can say what he wants, I'm not really bothered about what he says.

"The time came for them to stand up and be there and be heard and be seen, and they weren't.

"I just hope when my kids get older and something like this happens, that we have all learned from this situation and it will be dealt with a bit different.

"My family was there, representing every day. I didn't need to be there. I wasn't there; I didn't need to be there.

"I was speaking with my brother, there all the time for my brother when he needed me. He didn't need me to be in that court."

Source: PA