You Know Who You Are

The football authorities are tying themselves up in knots over the John Terry/Anton Ferdinand affair. They are bogged down with the Patrice Evra/Luis Suarez affair. The Police are allegedly investigating the circumstances surrounding John Terry. Meanwhile the question exercising many, or at least much of the media, is whether Fabio Capello should pick Terry for the forthcoming friendlies against Spain and Sweden given the allegations. Should somebody accused of oafish racist abuse represent his country, and particularly as captain? Perhaps the question should be whether Terry should be in the squad anyway given recent lacklustre and error strewn performances. Alternatively the question might be whether Terry should ever have been England captain given the numerous previous occasions when his behaviour has not brought credit upon the national game? Or alternatively should he have regained the captaincy having been stripped of it by Capello before the 2010 World Cup following the scandal of his extra marital affair?
But if the question is whether a player, accused of something for which he is presumed innocent until proven guilty, should be punished in advance by the sanction of being excluded from the England squad, then the answer must be a resounding 'no'. There is an investigation. The Police/authorities should get a move on, but nonetheless until that process has ended and a verdict has been pronounced, whether by a court or an FA tribunal, then Terry should be free to go about his business until that time.