The Daily Mirror’s chief sports writer Oliver Holt claims Rio Ferdinand sent him a direct message on Twitter calling him a “fat prick” in a row over the ex-England skipper’s drugs ban.
Holt reckons the message was in response to a Twitter argument he was having with Manchester United fans who felt Kolo Toure’s six-month drug ban for a positive test was unfair in comparison to Ferdinand’s eight-month ban for missing a test in 2003.
Ferdinand reportedly wrote: “You fat prick. U got something to say about me missing a drugs test say it when u see me. You have had many opportunities but said nothing.”
The message was reported by Holt in his column, sparking a Twitter debate about whether direct messages should remain private.
Ferdinand responded [sic]: “Are DM’s private?! A player + a journo falling out is nothing new but stooping this low speaks volumes of the person your dealing with!”
But Holt claims Ferdinand repeated his rant almost word-for-word in public at Wembley last Saturday in any case.
