LONDON: QPR defender Rio Ferdinand has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association following a comment he posted on Twitter.

An FA statement read: “It is alleged the comment posted on his twitter account was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper. It is further alleged that this breach is aggravated pursuant to FA Rule E3(2) as it included a reference to gender.”

Ferdinand now has until Tuesday 21 October 2014 to respond to the charge.

The charge relates to a Tweet containing the term ‘sket’ sent by Ferdinand on September 1, which was transfer deadline day, in response to a message sent to him on the social network.

A fellow Twitter user suggested QPR, who brought in free agent Ferdinand over the summer, should recruit a new defender.

A ‘sket’ is a “a promiscuous girl or woman” according to the Collins English Dictionary.

Ferdinand, who made 81 appearances for England – the last in June 2011 – is a member of FA chairman Greg Dyke’s commission looking at how to improve English football.

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