Chelsea’s John Terry will not appeal against his four-match ban and US$355,700 fine for racially insulting Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand, the player said in a statement on Thursday.
Terry, 31, was found guilty by a Football Association (FA) tribunal of using a racial slur towards Ferdinand during a Premier League match at Loftus Road in October last year.
The centre back was acquitted in a court of law for the same offence and always maintained his innocence but apologised on Thursday for the language he used in his altercation with Ferdinand.
“After careful consideration, I have decided not to appeal against the FA judgment,” Terry said in a statement.
“I want to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone for the language I used in the game against Queens Park Rangers last October.
“Although I’m disappointed with the FA judgment, I accept that the language I used, regardless of the context, is not acceptable on the football field or indeed in any walk of life.”