CHRIS WHEELER: Man United’s statement on domestic abuse allegations against Antony was vague and WEAK. Lessons don’t seem to have been learned from their handling of Mason Greenwood. Britain’s biggest football club must do better
- Man United’s statement on Wednesday sent out a weak message to the world
- READ MORE: Manchester United are accused of covering £85m star Antony’s assault allegations by ex-girlfriend’s lawyers – but they deny the claims
- Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off’
Two months after the first allegations of domestic abuse were made against Antony by his ex-girlfriend, and two days after he was summarily stood down from international duty by Brazil, Manchester United broke their silence on Wednesday.
In a 53-word statement that said very little, the club ‘acknowledged’ the accusations of Gabriela Cavallin and insisted it is ‘taking this matter seriously’. That’s reassuring to know.
It was a vague statement lacking in clarity that sends a weak message. United are in a holding pattern again, just as they were for 18 months with Mason Greenwood. We should expect better of Britain’s biggest football club.
If there is any sympathy for United, it’s that no sooner have they stumbled through the moral maze of the Greenwood affair than the allegations against Antony have been dumped in their lap.
But if there were lessons from United’s handling of Greenwood, they don’t seem to have been learned.
More should be expected of Man United after their vague and weak statement about Antony
The DJ and influencer Gabriela Cavallin has made several allegations against the Brazil star
Antony was dropped from the Brazil squad for the latest spate of international qualifiers
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Without pre-judging Antony, the Brazil FA acted decisively on Monday night. The CBF said it was taking him out of the squad to face Bolivia and Peru in World Cup qualifying ‘to preserve the alleged victim, the player, the Brazil team and the CBF’. No finger pointing there.
United, on the other hand, brought up the rear with Wednesday’s rather empty statement.
The club have decided not to suspend Antony, although we were left to work that one out for ourselves.
Unlike Greenwood, he has not been arrested. Unlike the Greenwood tape, there is no damning evidence that exposes him from the start.
But United could have made it clear that Antony will still be available for selection while strongly condemning domestic violence without throwing him under the bus.
Once again, it feels like too little too late. As if the club don’t know which way to turn.
United were criticised over their handling of Greenwood in that they reached the right decision but only after facing a barrage of criticism for making the wrong one in trying to keep him.
It exposed a chronic lack of leadership from the top of the club down. A sense of paralysis hiding behind talk of thorough investigations and periods of consultancy that, temporarily and unforgivably, passed the buck to the women’s team.
Now they have a chance to put things right, and it has been an inauspicious start.
United don’t seem to have learned lessons from the handling of Mason Greenwood’s situation
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