Kick It Out founder: "We respect the verdict"

Founder of the Kick It Out campaign Lord Ouseley has said that he "respects" the not guilty verdict given to John Terry in his court case this afternoon.

Terry was cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence after Anton Ferdinand accused him of racial abuse during a match between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers in October 2011.

While he accepts the decision in this instance, Ouseley believes that the language used, in whatever context, was inappropriate and that footballers must take their position as role models more seriously.

"We respect the verdict, the judgement is what it is. I'm glad for the players it is over," he said.

"The language in this case reflects on the sport badly because there are eight million people who play it in this country. We do not get this behaviour in women's football or disabled football.

"They are role models and they have to behave better."

Ousley founded the the Kick It Out campaign in 1993.