Antony, the winger from Manchester United, has been removed from the Brazilian national team roster amid accusations of abuse made by his former girlfriend.
The governing body for Brazilian football announced that the 23-year-old player would no longer be part of the national team, citing “publicly disclosed facts” that “warrant further examination.”
This development followed a report by Brazilian media organization UOL, which revealed the allegations put forth by the athlete’s former girlfriend earlier in the week.
Authorities in both Sao Paulo and Greater Manchester are presently scrutinizing the accusations, which Antony stronglydenies.
On his social media channels, Antony stated, “I can calmly state that the accusations are false and that the evidence already produced and the other evidence that will be produced demonstrate that I am innocent of the accusations made.”
The accusations against Antony claim that he headbutted his ex-girlfriend, Gabriela Cavallin, in a hotel room in Manchester on January 15, causing her a head injury that required medical attention. Additionally, she alleges that a punch to her chest resulted in damage to her silicone breast implant, resulting in surgical intervention.
On Monday, Antony asserted in his public statement that while his past relationship with Cavallin was “fraught with issues,” he had “never engaged in any physical abuse.”
Earlier, in June, Antony had issued a statement rejecting earlier allegations of domestic abuse levied by his former partner.
The Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed their awareness of the situation, stating that they are “aware of the allegations made and enquiries remain ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding this report.” The GMP chose not to comment further at this time.
In light of Antony’s removal, his spot on the Brazil team will be filled by Arsenal’s forward, Gabriel Jesus, for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Bolivia and Peru.
Source: Marca
