Rio Ferdinand has broken his silence in today's papers about the abuse his brother Anton has suffered since the John Terry race row erupted.
In a story carried by both the Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Telegraph, the Manchester United defender has revealed his frustration at how the affair has unfolded.
"Anton is my little brother,” he said. “We have grown up together and I looked after him when we were kids.
"If something is going to affect him and hurt him, I am always there as a shoulder to lean on. In moments like this, when things are so public and you can’t really say anything, it can be frustrating.
"For my family, yes, it has been tough. At the end of the day, my brother has not brought any accusations to anyone. He is not the accused.
"But he has had to sit there and take abuse from some small-minded people, which has been very disappointing."
