Rio Ferdinand felt ‘physically sick’ after racist gestures at Molineux | Football News
2 min read
Rio Ferdinand says he was left feeling physically sick after being told a Wolves fan had made racist gestures towards him at Molineux during Manchester United’s Premier League victory in May 2021.
Ferdinand appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday morning, and gave evidence for around 20 minutes. He said that he did not see the gestures himself, which came while he was working as a pundit for BT Sport.
He said that the first time he was made aware of any racist element came at half-time, from one of the security guards, who had seen the gestures himself.
When asked how it made him feel, to be told what had happened, he replied: « It makes you feel sick, yeah. »
Ferdinand became visibly agitated whilst being cross examined by Andrew Baker for the defence, who asked him: « Did you really feel physically sick? »
« Yes, I’m sure you can understand what that means, » Ferdinand replied.
The alleged incident happened in the first game with some supporters back at Molineux following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions.
« You don’t expect to receive that treatment when you go to a football match » he explained. « But especially because of the circumstances – the first time we’d been back in a football stadium. There was a lot of excitement in the stadium, but that quickly turned to something else. »
Since then, Ferdinand told the court, he has been working on a documentary looking at the issue of racism in football. He said he couldn’t include his own experience in Wolverhampton that day, as much as he would have liked to.
« It’s about racism in football, sexuality in football, hate in football. I’d have loved to have used the footage from that day – it would have been brilliant. But clearly it is part of the court proceedings, so we couldn’t. »
Stuart Munden-Edge who was working as a close-protection officer for BT Sport on the day told the court: « It was prolonged for maybe 20 to 30 seconds.
« I was disgusted, asked a colleague if he’d seen the same, he had. And so had a steward, so we asked for that fan to be ejected from the stadium. »
Mr Munden-Edge said there were only white pundits on duty that day, except for Ferdinand, so it was clear who it was directed at.
Under cross examination, he admitted that there was a discrepancy in his statement to police at the time, which talked of only one racist gesture. Now he is adamant there were several.
Jamie Arnold of Norton Bridge, Staffordshire, is accused of racially abusing former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand.
Arnold denies causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.
