Last month, Terry was found not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence by Westminster Magistrates Court ... but the FA still believed they were ABOVE the law of the land!
Having stripped Terry of the England captaincy BEFORE the court case ... they now have to justify their actions.
The case centred on a clash between Terry and Ferdinand at Loftus Road last October and saw Fabio Capello leave the England coaching job saying: "You cannot say a man is guilty until the case has gone to court".
However, since then, the FA have decided the Chelsea skipper has a case to answer under their own lesser burden of proof, although it has been suggested the hearing will not take place until the end of next month.
That time scale splits England's first four World Cup qualifiers.
Roy Hodgson: "I'm not prepared to discuss John.
"It's a matter which is really, as far as I am concerned, working for the FA, sub judice.
"Everything I say can be misinterpreted.
"As far as I am concerned he has a case to answer with the FA and I'll wait and see what happens.
"I'm hoping, and I make no secret of that, the case will take its course, that John, hopefully, will be freed as he was freed in a court of law, and will carry on playing for England.
"That's my hope. What will happen, I have no idea.
"As a member of the FA, it's a sub judice situation and I'm not prepared to say any more.
"I thought John did well in the Euros and I'd like to keep using him, but this is a case which is way out of my hands. John understands that.
"All I can do like many of his supporters, I suppose, is just hope he gets freed and can continue to play."