KOP News # 1713

It doesn't add up: Terry's four-game racism ban too short says former FA chief

The decision to ban Terry for half as long as Luis Suarez baffles Lord Triesmann – and he expects JT to apologise to Anton Ferdinand

Finger of fudging: The FA have not been consistent with ban of Chelsea's John Terry, and previous action against Luis Suarez

Richard Heathcote

If it's not half as bad, how come it's half the ban? That's the verdict of former Football Association chairman Lord Triesman, who today hit out at the decision to ban John Terry for only four matches for racist abuse.

Chelsea captain Terry was handed the suspension and a £220,000 fine after being found guilty of using a racist slur towards Anton Ferdinand by an independent FA regulatory commission.

The ban was half of that meted out to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

The FA commission said Terry had been given a lesser ban because the "racist insult was issued only once", as opposed to repeated use by Suarez.

But Lord Triesman told the BBC: "It may be when you look at all the detail they thought there were reasons for [it]. I can't see it."

Terry is due to decide during the international break whether to appeal his guilty verdict.

Lord Triesman added: "He's within his rights to appeal. My own view is that it would be more sensible to apologise and accept it's not a good standard," he said.

"I just don't believe in this day and age that anybody can think that it's okay, and that you don't owe an apology, not least to the other player."

Terry is unlikely to pursue an appeal against the punishment.