Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand has refused to add his voice to the growing protest against older brother Rio’s omission from England’s Euro 2012 squad.

England manager Roy Hodgson insisted he left Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand out of his original squad for the tournament solely for “football reasons”.

But there has been intense speculation in the media that the 33-year-old’s absence was due to the presence in the squad of his regular England central defensive colleague John Terry.

Chelsea captain Terry will stand trial in July on charges of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand during a match against QPR in October and many reports said Hodgson was keen not to select Rio to avoid a potential dressing room rift over the issue.

Ferdinand reacted angrily last Sunday when he learned he had been overlooked again by Hodgson, who called up Liverpool’s Martin Kelly instead of the United centre-back after Gary Cahill was forced to withdraw from the squad with a fractured jaw.

However, he has promised to support England in the tournament and Anton, speaking to ITV’s Daybreak breakfast television programme, said: “Things happen in football.

“It’s a game of ups and downs. I am sure he’d like to be there but sadly it didn’t happen this time.

“But we move on and, like he said, he’s going to follow them from somewhere else and, as a family and as a community, we’re going to do that.”

Football Association chairman David Bernstein is determined not to let the controversy overshadow England’s participation in the tournament.

“I’m not prepared to discuss any players who are not here,” Bernstein said this week.

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