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of ex-Manchester United player Ryan Giggs over domestic violence allegations has been abandoned after the charges were withdrawn by Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on Tuesday.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



Brazil's Botafogo Advances to its 1st Copa Libertadores Final

John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024.  EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
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Brazil's Botafogo Advances to its 1st Copa Libertadores Final

John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024.  EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ

Brazil’s Botafogo advanced to its first Copa Libertadores final on Wednesday despite a 3-1 loss at Uruguay's Penarol. The Rio de Janeiro side had won the first leg of its semifinal 5-0.
Botafogo's rival in the Nov. 30 decider in Buenos Aires will be fellow Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro, which reached the final after a 0-0 draw at Argentina’s River Plate on Tuesday and after a 3-0 win in the first leg.
Botafogo rested many of its starters because of the big advantage, including national team strikers Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus, The Associated Press reported.
Jaime Báez scored Penarol's first two goals. The first came from long distance in the 31st minute and the second in the 66th from the edge of the box. By then, the hosts were one man down due to an unusual red card.
Goalkeeper Washington Aguerre was sent off during the break after intentionally stepping on the foot of Botafogo goalie John. Botafogo lost a player in the 69th minute when Mateo Ponte received his second yellow only seconds after he got his first.
World Cup champion Thiago Almada was brought in by Botafogo in the second half and scored for the visiting team from close range in the 88th minute. One minute later, also from close range, Penarol's Facundo Batista netted the third goal for the Uruguayan team.
Brazilian teams have won the tournament for the past five years. The final will be played at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Atletico’s win on Tuesday also affected the race to be the last South American qualifier for the 2025 Club World Cup, as it eliminated Olimpia of Paraguay from contention.
Olimpia would have advanced to the 32-team tournament in the United States had River Plate won this Copa Libertadores edition. River Plate already qualified based on its consistent results in the continental competition across four seasons.
FIFA will make the draw for the June 15-July 13 tournament on a date in early December it has not yet confirmed.
Also on Wednesday, Brazil's Cruzeiro advanced to the Copa Sudamericana final with a 1-0 win at Argentina's Lanus. Their first leg ended 1-1 last week.
Cruzeiro could face another Brazilian team in the decider of South America's second most prestigious club tournament.
Corinthians, the club of Dutch striker Memphis Depay, will take on Argentina's Racing in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Their first leg in Sao Paulo finished 2-2.