Manchester United have been criticized for their handling of the investigation into allegations of violence against women made against Mason Greenwood.
Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 following allegations surrounding material that was published online. He was released on bail pending further investigation, but the charges against him were dropped in February.
Despite the charges being dropped, Manchester United terminated Greenwood’s contract by mutual agreement on Monday.
However, former players and pundits have criticized the club’s handling of the investigation.
Gary Neville, who played for Manchester United for 19 years, said the club’s handling of the investigation had been “pretty horrible” and lacked strong leadership.
Read also: Why Mason Greenwood is leaving Manchester United
“It’s been clear that Manchester United have not had the skill and ability to deal with this situation properly,” he said. “It’s been well above their grade of experience and ability.”
Fellow pundit and former England midfielder Karen Carney have also said the matter was “handled poorly.”
“I think Manchester United as an institution, as a football club and what it stands for, has handled this really, really poorly,” she said.
The case has raised questions about how clubs handle allegations of violence against women. There is still much work to be done in this area, and clubs must do more to ensure their players and staff are safe.
In addition to the criticism from former players and pundits, Manchester United has also been criticized by fans and women’s rights groups.
A group of female United supporters protested outside Old Trafford before the club’s opening Premier League game of the season against Wolves on 14 August.
The protesters held banners with messages such as “We stand with survivors” and “No to violence against women.”
The termination of Greenwood’s contract is a significant development in the case, but it is clear that the controversy is far from over.
