Manchester United have resisted calls to suspend Antony after his ex-girlfriend accused him of assaulting her on several occasions.
Gabriela Cavallin, the DJ and social media influencer, told the Brazilian publication UOL on Monday that she had been subjected to physical and psychological abuse by the United and Brazil winger.
The Brazilian national football federation (CBF) removed Antony from their squad for their matches against Bolivia and Peru because of the allegations, but United have not followed suit despite pressure from domestic abuse charities.
Forty-eight hours after the allegations emerged, United broke their silence on the matter, issuing a statement insisting that the club were treating it seriously.
In the statement, there was no suggestion that the player had been suspended, which indicates that the 23-year-old winger, as it stands, will be available for the club’s next match against Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford a week on Saturday. He has also been named in United’s Champions League squad.
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“Manchester United acknowledges the allegations made against Antony and notes that the Police are conducting enquiries,” the statement read.
“Pending further information, the club will be making no further comments. As a club we are taking this matter seriously, with consideration of the impact of these allegations and subsequent reporting will have on survivors of abuse.”
Antony said last Monday that he “vehemently denies” the accusations and vowed to help the police with their enquiries.
The former Ajax player, who joined United in September last year, wrote on Instagram: “My relationship with Mrs Gabriela was tumultuous, with verbal offences on both sides, but I never practiced any physical aggression.
“I trust that the ongoing police investigations will demonstrate the truth of my innocence.”
Some of the alleged instances of abuse are said to have taken place in Brazil and others in Manchester, so Antony is the subject of two police investigations, one by the authorities in Sao Paulo and the other by Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
Antony joined United from Ajax 12 months ago
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Women’s Aid, which campaigns for the rights of domestic abuse sufferers, said that United should consider dropping Antony whilst he is subject of a police investigation.
“Domestic abuse is prevalent in our society and all employers, including football clubs, need clear policies and procedures about what to do when allegations are made against an employee,” the organisation said in a statement published on Tuesday.
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“When the alleged perpetrator is a high-profile footballer, we know from survivors of domestic abuse 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.”
Cavallin alleged in her interview with UOL that Antony would descend into fits of rage during their relationship and send her abusive messages, including one which read: “I hope you die, f*** you.” Cavallin, 23, alleged that at a Manchester hotel in January, Antony punched her in the chest so hard that her silicone breast implant was damaged and she needed hospital treatment.
In a separate incident, which is alleged to have taken place at Antony’s home on the outskirts of Manchester four months later, Cavallin claims that he threw a glass at her, severing her finger to the point where the bone was exposed.
“Antony locked the door of the house and wouldn’t let me go out, and I had my finger open, all hurt,” Cavallin told UOL. “He was upset . . . he was throwing a cell phone at me. He said he was going to kill me, that he was going to kill himself.”
In an incident in Sao Paulo in July last year, Cavallin told UOL that she was “shaking with fear” after allegedly being attacked by Antony. She says she was pregnant at the time and miscarried after about 16 weeks of pregnancy. Antony is also alleged to have headbutted Cavallin during another argument.
Cavallin’s legal team confirmed to The Times that they had filed a complaint against Antony to GMP.
