Following today’s charges against him, Manchester United is planning to fire Anthony. The club’s board will make the decision tomorrow. A meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.
After the winger was charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Manchester United rebuffed calls to ban Antony.
In a statement, United insisted that they were treating the situation seriously but refrained from suspending the £82 million acquisition. Due to the strong charges against Antony, 23, he was removed from Brazil’s most recent squad, but United has so far declined to follow suit.
Domestic abuse organizations have urged United to take Brazil’s example and bar Antony from selection while an inquiry is ongoing.
Officials from United reportedly met with representatives of the Professional Footballers’ Association to discuss the accusations against Antony.
The allegations that Antony physically abused Gabriela Cavallin between January and May of this year are being looked into by Greater Manchester Police. Despite fiercely denying “any physical aggression,” Antony claimed in a message posted on Instagram on Monday that his relationship with Cavallin had been “tumultuous.” He also expressed confidence that “the ongoing police investigations will reveal the truth about my innocence.”
Following the accusations, Brazil decided to not use Antony in their World Cup qualifying matches against Bolivia on Saturday and Peru on Wednesday. Despite issuing a statement after initially remaining silent, United would not confirm if Antony would face a suspension in light of the seriousness of the accusations.
Mason Greenwood was suspended by United immediately after his arrest in January 2022 on charges of attempted rape, using coercive or controlling behavior, and assault resulting in actual bodily harm. Although United’s internal inquiry determined the 21-year-old could no longer play for them, Greenwood eventually had all accusations against him dismissed. As a result, he has since been loaned out to Spanish club Getafe for the remainder of the season.
United issued a statement in response to Antony’s charges, saying: “Manchester United recognises the allegations against Antony and notes that the Police are undertaking inquiries.
“The club will not be making any other remarks pending further information. As a club, we are treating this situation seriously, taking into account how these accusations and any ensuing reporting may affect abuse survivors.
Clubs who permit players to play after being accused of domestic abuse run the risk of giving the message that such accusations are not being taken seriously, according to Women’s Aid. Women’s Aid stated in a statement that domestic abuse was pervasive in society and that all companies, including football clubs, needed clear policies and processes about what to do when claims were made against an employee.
“We know from survivors of domestic abuse that when the alleged perpetrator is a high-profile footballer, that has an impact on both football fans and wider society, who see them playing and celebrated on the pitch as a sign that the allegations are not being taken seriously by the club,” said one domestic abuse survivor.
