QPR: players will not be called to give evidence

The allegation of racial abuse against John Terry stood mired in claim and counter-claim yesterday as Queen's Park Rangers denied any of the club's players had been called to give evidence concerning the Chelsea captain as part of a Football Association investigation into the events during last Sunday's derby at Loftus Road.

The England captain is accused of directing a racist slur at Anton Ferdinand, with an FA enquiry set up at QPR's request and an "assessment" from the Metropolitan Police after a complaint from a member of the public. The FA is expected to speak to Ferdinand today.

But QPR yesterday denied reports that three more of their players had been called to give evidence to the FA, while it emerged that the police's attempts to establish whether a crime was committed remain at a standstill. A QPR spokesman said: "There is no truth in these stories. None of the three players have been called to give evidence or will be called to give evidence."

Meanwhile, the Professional Footballers' Association has volunteered to assist the FA's enquiry in an attempt to support both players involved in what currently appears to be a case of Terry's interpretation of events against Ferdinand's.

A PFA statement ran: "There is a proper process to be followed for such serious issues which is governed by the Football Association, as the game's regulator. We will assist and adhere to that process in any way which is considered appropriate, mindful that all the players are our members and as such we expect the process to be fair and transparent in establishing the facts in each case."