The Football Association have launched an investigation into allegations that Chelsea and England captain John Terry made racist remarks towards QPR defender Anton Ferdinand during Sunday's west London derby at Loftus Road.
Videos circulated on the internet in the aftermath of Sunday's game, with some claiming the footage shows Terry insulting Ferdinand using racist language.
Ferdinand met with QPR representatives and manager Neil Warnock at the Hoops' Harlington training ground today to discuss the issue and decided to complain to the FA - a move which could have huge implications for Terry's future in the game.
An FA statement read: "The FA can confirm it has received a complaint relating to an alleged incident of racist abuse in the QPR versus Chelsea fixture at Loftus Road on 23 October 2011.
"The FA will now begin to make enquiries into this matter.
"The FA takes seriously any allegations of discrimination and abuse of this type."
Terry met with Ferdinand in the away dressing room at Loftus Road following the R's 1-0 win in an attempt to persuade the 26-year-old that he did not racially abuse him.
The England captain then released a statement saying he was "disappointed" that some people had come to the "wrong conclusions" about the supposed context in which he had made the comments towards Ferdinand, adding: "I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him. I responded aggressively, saying that I never used that term.
"I would never say such a thing, and I'm saddened that people would think so."
The investigation marks another chapter in what has been a turbulent 12 months for the Chelsea defender.
Terry was stripped of the England captaincy in February 2010 amid allegations that he cheated on his wife with the ex-girlfriend of former team-mate Wayne Bridge.
Terry received widespread criticism after rumours of the alleged affair surfaced, but England boss Fabio Capello reinstated the Blues defender as national skipper in March.
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas offered his full backing to Terry this afternoon over the alleged comments he made towards Ferdinand.
Villas-Boas said: "He's put out his statement and we fully back John. John is a player who represents this country to the highest level internationally.
"He is a player of great responsibilities for the country and he is confident about it because he spoke to Anton after the game.
"For us it was end of story and it still is. It's just a great misunderstanding and something blown out of proportion.
"John Terry represents this country internationally and it should also be that people who represent this country should have better and fuller support instead of stories based on speculation."
Villas-Boas' comments came hours after police confirmed that they are "assessing" claims Terry racially abused Ferdinand after receiving a complaint from a member of the public.
