Police have confirmed they are making inquiries into comments made by footballer Rio Ferdinand on Twitter after receiving a complaint of racism.
Manchester Evening News reported that a "number of complaints" have been made to both the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police after Ashley Cole was referred to as a "choc ice" on Twitter.
A user on the site tweeted Ferdinand directly, stating: "looks like Ashley Cole's going to be their choc ice. Then again he's always been a sellout. Shame on him."
Ferdinand then replied: "I hear you fella! Choc ice is classic hahahahahahha!!"
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson told the Huffington Post UK: "Manchester police received a complaint of racism following a comment made on social media and enquiries are ongoing."
Ferdinand may regret his Saturday evening session on the micro-blogging site
Ferdinand's tweet on Saturday followed John Terry being cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.
It was alleged that Terry had maliciously called Rio's brother Anton - a Queens Park Rangers defender - a "f****** black c***" during a match on 23 October last year.
Cole, 31, had told the trial that Terry, his Stamford Bridge captain and friend, was not racist.
Cole, who also told the court he was a longstanding friend of the Ferdinand brothers, was accused by one person who sent a tweet to Rio Ferdinand of being a "choc ice".
The person wrote: "Looks like Ashley Cole's going to be their choc ice.
"Then again he's always been a sell out.
"Shame on him."
Manchester United defender Rio, who played with Terry at the heart of England's defence and whose parents attended every day of the five-day trial in support of his brother, replied: "I hear you fella!
"Choc ice is classic! hahahahahahha!!"
The "choc ice" term is commonly understood to mean "black on the outside, white on the inside". Soon after Ferdinand made the comments the hashtag #chocice began trending on Twitter.
Ferdinand later claimed the comment was a slang term and had was not intended to be racist.
Cole moved to calm the situation down and issued a statement through his lawyers.
It said: "Ashley Cole has been made aware of the discussion following comments appearing on Twitter and wishes to make it clear that he and Rio Ferdinand are good friends and Ashley has no intention of making any sort of complaint.
"Ashley appreciates that Tweeting is so quick it often results in off-hand and stray comments."
Rio, who unlike Terry was left out of the England squad that went to Euro 2012, later referenced the Blues centre half's legal defence by tweeting he was being sarcastic.
The "choc ice" response was apparently deleted.
Ferdinand and Cole have been close friends, emerging into the England first-team at the same time when Sven-Göran Eriksson was named coach of the national side in 2001.
The duo's friendship led to commercial ventures, when executively produced the 2009 British film Dead Man Running.
Earlier on Saturday, the Football Association was urged to punish John Terry despite the Chelsea captain being cleared of hurling racial abuse at another player.
The FA have said they will study the findings of the court case before deciding whether or not to bring any proceedings against the 31-year-old.