John Terry to stand trial after EURO 2012

England captain John Terry will stand trial for alleged racist abuse against QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in July.

The Chelsea skipper did not attend the first hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London but his barrister George Carter-Stephenson QC, entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

The trial is set to take place on July 9, nine days after the final of the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine, meaning he could captain England during the games while having the charge hanging over him.

England manager Fabio Capello will have the dilemma of whether to select him for the squad and make him captain ahead of the trial. There has been a lack of action or noise from the Football Association regarding Terry and the captaincy since the allegations of abuse came out in October. For anti-racist campaigners, the silence of the FA is deafening.

District Judge Howard Riddle said Terry should stand trial in the week beginning July 9, because a number of Chelsea players, who may be on international duty during EURO 2012, will not be able to appear as witnesses until the end of the football season.

The 31-year-old is accused of a racially-aggravated public order offence over video footage which shows him allegedly shouting an offensive comment Ferdinand as Chelsea took on west London rivals Queens Park Rangers on October 23rd last year.

The maximum punishment Terry faces if found guilty is a £2,500 fine, a small punishment financially but one which could have wider implications.