London - Police are investigating allegations that Chelsea captain John Terry racially abused Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League match.
The Metropolitan police said on Tuesday that they were "notified of an incident ... involving alleged racial abuse" after a complaint from a member of the public following on Sunday's match between the west London clubs at Loftus Road.
"This is currently being assessed by officers," police said in a statement.
England captain Terry has strenuously denied claims he directed a racial slur at Ferdinand during Chelsea's 1-0 defeat in an ill-tempered game that featured two sending-offs and nine yellow cards.
Some have claimed video footage that appeared on the internet after the match showed Terry making a racist comment toward Ferdinand, a black defender.
However, the 30-year-old Terry said on Sunday that "people have leapt to the wrong conclusions about the context of what I was seen to be saying."
"I thought Anton was accusing me of using a racist slur against him. I responded aggressively, saying that I never used that term," Terry said in the statement.
Terry said Ferdinand hasn't accused him of racial abuse and added in an interview, published on Tuesday, with the Daily Mail newspaper that the matter is "finished."
"I'll do whatever it takes to clear my name and I don't have anything to hide. I'm not taking that level of abuse," he said. "Anton and I spoke for 10 minutes in the dressing room after the game and there is no issue between us."
It is being widely reported in the British media that QPR will meet Ferdinand on Tuesday to discuss the matter.
The Football Association hasn't yet become involved. The governing body is currently investigating claims by Manchester United defender Patrice Evra that he was racially abused by Liverpool striker Luis Suarez during the league match between the two northwest teams last weekend on October 15.
- Sapa