Giggs Retrial Abandoned as CPS Drops Assault Charges 

Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)
Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)
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Giggs Retrial Abandoned as CPS Drops Assault Charges 

Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)
Former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs leaves Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, Britain, August 26, 2022. (Reuters)

The retrial of ex-Manchester United player Ryan Giggs over domestic violence allegations has been abandoned after the charges were withdrawn by Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on Tuesday.

Giggs, 49, faced charges of causing actual bodily harm to his former girlfriend, Kate Greville, along with controlling and coercive behavior. He also faced a charge of common assault of Greville's sister, Emma.

In a trial last year, the jury was discharged after failing to reach verdicts on the charges. Giggs denied all charges and a trial date of July 31 was set during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.

However, Kate was no longer willing to give evidence in a retrial as the process had taken a toll on her and her sister, according to a BBC report.

"We have determined there is no longer sufficient evidence available to proceed in respect of the controlling or coercive behavior charge and that it is no longer in the public interest to prosecute the remaining assault charges," a CPS spokesperson said.

Giggs made 963 appearances over 23 years for Manchester United, a club record, winning a haul of honors, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies.

He represented Wales 64 times between 1991 and 2007 and took over as national coach in 2018.

He was replaced as Wales manager after initially stepping aside in late 2020 due to the case, with Rob Page taking over as national coach.



Japan’s King Kazu Wants More After First Appearance of 40th Season 

Paris St Germain's Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe talk with Kazuyoshi Miura, Japanese soccer legend and Japan Football League club Suzuka Point Getters player, during a news conference upon their team's arrival in Tokyo for their team's tour of Japan in Tokyo, Japan July 17, 2022. (Reuters)
Paris St Germain's Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe talk with Kazuyoshi Miura, Japanese soccer legend and Japan Football League club Suzuka Point Getters player, during a news conference upon their team's arrival in Tokyo for their team's tour of Japan in Tokyo, Japan July 17, 2022. (Reuters)
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Japan’s King Kazu Wants More After First Appearance of 40th Season 

Paris St Germain's Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe talk with Kazuyoshi Miura, Japanese soccer legend and Japan Football League club Suzuka Point Getters player, during a news conference upon their team's arrival in Tokyo for their team's tour of Japan in Tokyo, Japan July 17, 2022. (Reuters)
Paris St Germain's Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe talk with Kazuyoshi Miura, Japanese soccer legend and Japan Football League club Suzuka Point Getters player, during a news conference upon their team's arrival in Tokyo for their team's tour of Japan in Tokyo, Japan July 17, 2022. (Reuters)

Japan's Kazuyoshi "King Kazu" Miura made his first appearance of his 40th season as a professional footballer at the weekend and shows no sign of wanting to hang up his boots any time soon.

The former international forward, who turned 58 in February, came on as a late substitute in Atletico Suzuka's 2-1 win over YSCC Yokohama in the fourth tier of the Japanese pyramid on Sunday.

The popular striker signed an 18-month loan deal with Suzuka last June but a leg injury sustained in January had kept him on the sidelines from the start of this Japan Football League season.

"I hope to play again showing my character," Miura told Kyodo news agency after the match.

"I managed to play thanks to the support from everyone. I'm looking to stepping up a gear from here."

Miura made his first two appearances for Santos in the 1986 Brazilian Championship, having headed alone to South America to pursue his football dream as a 15-year-old.

He returned to Japan as an established international to join Verdy Kawasaki and helped them win the first two J.League titles in 1993 and 1994. He scored 55 goals in 89 appearances for Japan, the last of which came in 2000.

Miura, whose long club career has also included spells in Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal, still has a way to go to match Egyptian Ezzeldin Bahader's record of turning out for a professional team at the age of 74.

Given his commitment to the game, however, it might be foolish to write him off.

"When I was around 35 or 40, I did start saying to myself, 'I can't keep playing this way'," he told FIFA.com in April.

"Rather than giving any thought to quitting, it was more about pushing myself to give more. It's not so much that the word 'retire' isn't in my vocabulary, but more that I've never felt any desire to do it."