The BBC has dismissed over 1000 complaints about BBC Scots football pundit Michael Stewart questioning Rangers star Glen Kamara who insisted he was racially abused by a Slavia Prague player during the Ibrox club's Europa League 2-0 defeat.
Former England captain Rio Ferdinand told the the former Hearts and Hibs midfielder to "educate" himself over his comments over the incident that hit the headlines as Rangers exited European competition at Ibrox.
Mr Kamara, a Finland international was visibly distressed after being racially abused late in the defeat.
Slavia Prague's Ondrej Kudela was subsequently banned for 10 matches for the abuse - with the Rangers midfielder suspended for three games.
The Finn was found guilty of assaulting Kudela in the tunnel after the sides' stormy Europa League meeting at Ibrox in March, which Slavia won.
Mr Stewart sparked a row when he expressed his reservations about the incident on BBC Sportsound and about going "full steam ahead when we don't know definitively".
The BBC indicated that the 1069 complaints about Mr Stewart's commentary on the incident on March 19 and were the result of a targeted campaign.
After looking into the complaints, it said that it was Mr Stewart "did not make any comments which could be described as racist or said to be condoning racism".
And the public broadcaster added: "We are confident that our overall output on this subject has been fair, accurate and balanced, and our production teams across all of our platforms have taken great care to ensure we have appropriate guests."
Complainers felt that Mr Stewart's cautious stance went too far and felt his comments cast doubt on Mr Kamara, even though he said he would unequivocally condemn any racist abuse.
The row over Mr Stewart's comments came a year after Mr Stewart was temporarily dropped from all BBC sports shows as discussions were held over a rant over Rangers communications chief Jim Traynor. Sportsound presenter Kenny McIntyre then apologised.
Mr Stewart had questioned Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos saying he had been subject to racial about "on and off the pitch" since moving to Scotland three years ago.
In relation to Mr Kamara's comments, Mr Stewart said on Sportsound: "I want an understanding that there needs to be caution taken here because, I'll go back to it, at Victoria Park Michael Gardyne was being hung, drawn and quartered as some sort of... I think it was a homophobic slur that was supposedly said. Nothing came of it."
He said players were adamant that they'd heard something being said and it transpires they had not.
Mr Stewart said that he agreed Glen Kamara had no reason to say something that didn't happen, "but we can all hear things that might not have".
He added: "If he was racially slurred then I think the penalty should be handed down that is severe enough that other actually take stock of what they're doing.."
After guest Richard Foster said that reactions when Mr Kamara told team-mates shows there was something going on, Mr Stewart added: "But Richard you can't..."
Mr Foster interjected: "If you use that argument, Michael, then you can never tell definitively what's been said and then the whole thing just gets washed under the carpet."
Mr Stewart responded: "But Richard if you use your basis then all of a sudden I could turn round and say... I could make anything up! That, you know, somebody said something against me or you can extrapolate that out..."
He later indicated that there was "no evidence to back up what people have said" before adding: "One per cent from me is what draws me back from judging and confirming 100 per cent as to this is stonewall, this is what's happened. Because you can't do that, if we allow that to happen then it's anarchy."
David Currie said: "That's why we refer to what happened last night as allegations of racism."
Mr Stewart responded: "I know allegations but in terms of..."
Mr Currie then said he wanted to move on "because one thing that's not in doubt is that after the match black Rangers players were subjected to racist abuse on social media".
Rio Ferdinand, a Manchester United legend turned football pundit, in a tweet directed at Michael Stewart said: "Educate yourself... comments like this are why people suffer in silence and are scared to speak out!"
In response to the complaints, the BBC said that across its Sportsound programmes on March 19 and 20, they involved a number of guests who took the position that, given the actions of the Slavia Prague player and the reaction of the Rangers players, the allegation of racial abuse was well-founded.
The broadcaster pointed out that on the Saturday broadcast, Mr Stewart said that it was the right thing to try to put pressure on to UEFA to take action so that it "doesn’t just drift away".
He also said that you have to "allow this this process to take place with UEFA so that justice is done for the victims here, Glen Kamara in particular, and then the punishment needs to be comparable with what’s going on with the big overall issue of racism".
Mr Kamara's lawyer, Aamer Anwar, called Kudela's sanction "the barest minimum penalty" and made "a mockery of Uefa's claims on taking racism seriously". He also suggested Kamara's suspension was reduced from five games on appeal.
Rangers striker Kemar Roofe was banned for four games, too, after Ondrej Kolar suffered a fractured skull in a challenge during the match, with the Ibrox club fined 9,000 euros for failing to control their players.
Mr Roofe and defender Leon Balogun were sent off, and three other players were booked in the stormy last-16 second-leg encounter, which the Czech side won 2-0 to progress 3-1 on aggregate.
Rangers said it welcomed Kudela's suspension, which they say "vindicates Glen Kamara's evidence" and "underlines the severity of the comment".
However, they have written to Uefa for clarification on the punishments given to Kamara and Roofe, which they believe to be "severe" and intend to appeal against.
Mr Kudela, meanwhile, said in a statement released by his lawyers that he was "surprised" by the verdict and reiterated his innocence.
The centre-back had rejected the "disgusting accusation" of racially abusing Kamara - while covering his mouth - amid a melee in the closing moments of the game, but did admit to swearing at him.
He was provisionally banned for one game pending an investigation by a Uefa ethics and disciplinary inspector.
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