“On Wednesday, Manchester United addressed the domestic abuse allegations against Brazil international Antony for the first time, emphasizing their commitment to treating the matter with utmost seriousness.”
The Premier League club refrained from indicating whether the forward would remain eligible for selection, following his exclusion from his national team’s two upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
“Manchester United acknowledges the accusations against Antony and acknowledges that the police are conducting investigations,” the club stated. “As an organization, we are treating this matter with utmost seriousness, recognizing the potential impact of these allegations and the subsequent media coverage on survivors of abuse.”
The player has refuted any wrongdoing.
The English Premier League club faced mounting pressure to address the accusations against Antony following their recent decision to terminate their contract with another striker, Mason Greenwood. Manchester United announced last month that Greenwood would be leaving Old Trafford to prevent any further distractions, as he had been accused of assault and attempted rape.
In February, prosecutors dropped the charges against Greenwood, citing the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new evidence. The 21-year-old Greenwood subsequently joined the Spanish La Liga team Getafe on a season-long loan last Friday.
On Monday, Brazilian media released details of alleged domestic abuse involving Antony and his ex-girlfriend. In response, the Brazilian football confederation announced that Antony would not participate in the upcoming games against Bolivia and Peru “due to the public revelations on Monday.”
Manchester United had faced criticism for their delayed response, while Antony issued a statement on Instagram before being excluded from the Brazilian squad, vehemently denying the accusations.
Manchester United temporarily suspended their forward, Mason Greenwood, when he was facing charges of attempted rape and assault, but these charges were subsequently dropped in February. Nevertheless, United made the decision last month to part ways with Greenwood, and he has since embarked on a loan spell with the Spanish club Getafe.
On May 20, Antony’s ex-girlfriend reported him to the police, alleging domestic violence, claims that he denied both in June and once again on Monday. Brazilian media published what appeared to be exchanges between the two, in which the player seemed to make threats and intimidate the woman on multiple occasions.
The Brazilian football governing body stated that the case “requires investigation” and that the player’s removal from the national team was intended to protect him, the alleged victim, and the integrity of the national team.
Sao Paulo police confirmed to The Associated Press that an ongoing investigation is underway but did not disclose specific details.
Following the emergence of allegations against Antony, the campaign group End Violence Against Women Coalition called for decisive action to be taken.
“The global spotlight is on Manchester United, with the world eager to see how one of the largest clubs reacts to these recent domestic abuse allegations,” they remarked. “We reiterate our call to the Premier League and FA to implement substantial measures, as it is evident that these incidents cannot be treated in isolation but rather as part of a larger pattern of conduct within a culture that allows footballers to commit acts of violence against women without consequences.”
