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Lord Ouseley hoping Terry & Ferdinand shake hands

John Terry has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence © Getty Images

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Leading anti-racism campaigner Lord Herman Ouseley has told ESPNsoccernet that he hopes Anton Ferdinand will shake hands with John Terry to defuse the FA Cup tie against Chelsea on Saturday.

The FA Cup fourth round tie unites the pair for the first time since the alleged incident in QPR's surprise 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Loftus Road on October 23 which led to Terry being charged with a racially aggravated public order offence.

Terry, who has protested his innocence, has agreed to shake hands during the pre-game formalities and Ferdinand is being encouraged to reciprocate by Lord Ouseley - an FA councillor as well as a leading light in the Kick It Out campaign. Ouseley believes that such a peace pact would be beneficial for the players as well as for both sets of fans before a potentially explosive encounter.

Sepp Blatter was criticised for suggesting that players should shake hands after a game even if there had been racial taunts during a match, but fresh from a meeting with Blatter in Zurich on Monday, Lord Ouseley told ESPNsoccernet: "We all know Blatter was ridiculed for suggesting a handshake after the match with an opponent who taunted a player racially, but this is vastly different.

"Here we have the due process taking place, where a player will face the consequences of his actions, but there is every reason for players and indeed fans to show civility and respect toward each other and focus on the football. I have nothing against that.

"A handshake now is part of the reconciliation and honesty that needs to take place. There is nothing wrong for someone making a mistake to apologise for it, hold their hands up and then face the consequences and move on.

"It is not about retribution and continued hostility, it is about reconciliation, otherwise the next generation will not understand the need for harmony in sport, which mirrors society. It is about how to take the heat out of the situation of the two clubs meeting again, and problems with fans' behaviour as a result of what happened between the players previously.

"There has been a lot of nastiness surfacing in the last few months that should have no part in football. The fans have to respect each other, and they won't if the players fail to respect each other. There is passion and emotion in sport, and so it should be, but you also have to respect the individual.

"A handshake before the game will not deflect from what went on before and how it will be dealt with."

Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge infamously rejected Terry's hand in February 2010 amid claims the England captain allegedly had an affair with the left-back's former partner Vanessa Perroncel.

As for Lord Ouseley's meeting with Blatter, he told ESPNsoccernet: "The meeting was to explore opportunities for collaboration, to go forward on a positive front. FIFA needs to build bridges and we can help them do that. FIFA do a lot of positive work that is not highlighted, important work in places such as Africa, and FIFA need to enhance that knowledge of what they do in a more positive way."

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