Chelsea captain John Terry has been banned for four matches and fined £220,000 for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

The Football Association found Terry guilty following a four-day hearing. external-link

A spokesman for Terry said the player was "disappointed" the FA had reached a "different conclusion" to the "not guilty verdict of a court of law".

In July, the ex-England skipper, 31, was cleared by Westminster Magistrates' Court of racially abusing Ferdinand.

The Terry statement continued: "He has asked for the detailed written reasons of the decision and will consider them carefully before deciding whether to lodge an appeal."

Analysis Dan Roan BBC sports news correspondent "Unlike in Terry's court case, the prosecution never had to prove intent, merely that certain words were used, so this verdict was no surprise. "However, the punishment raises issues. Why a ban half as severe as that handed out to Luis Suarez? Why a fine that equates to just one week's wages? Will Chelsea punish their captain? And will the Ferdinands be satisfied? "This bitter dispute has always been about more than what one footballer said to another. It shone a spotlight on the game, and the way it deals with discrimination. "Terry left Wembley in disgrace and is likely to appeal. But regardless, the saga has done lasting damage - both to the his reputation and also the to football itself."

The verdict released by the FA said: "The Football Association charged Mr Terry on Friday 27 July 2012 with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand and which included a reference to colour and/or race contrary to FA Rule E3 [2] in relation to the Queens Park Rangers FC versus Chelsea FC fixture at Loftus Road on 23 October 2011."

Terry will have 14 days from receiving the written reasons to decide whether to lodge an appeal. The ban and fine will not come into effect until after the centre-half has decided what to do.

A statement from his club added: "Chelsea Football Club notes and respects today's decision by the Football Association regarding John Terry.

"We also recognise that John has the right to appeal that decision. It is therefore inappropriate for us to comment further on the matter at this time."

Terry admitted using the word "black" and swearing at Ferdinand but insisted he had only been repeating words he thought the Rangers defender had accused him of saying.

The FA's decision to press ahead with their own charges led Terry, on the eve of the hearing, to announce he was retiring from international football with immediate effect, saying his position had become "untenable".

Terry's legal team argued the governing body's own rules dictated that his acquittal in court meant the case could not proceed but the FA believed their charge was distinct from the court charge.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was given an eight-match ban when an FA disciplinary panel found him guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra last season.

The panel stated at that time that simply using racist language was enough to constitute a breach of FA rules.