England players urged to shake hands with Thomas Partey ahead of World Cup clash
John Terry and Simon Jordan believe England’s players should shake hands with Thomas Partey before Tuesday night’s World Cup clash with Ghana, stressing that the midfielder has not been found guilty of any offence, reports BritPanorama.
Partey is expected to feature for Ghana in Boston despite ongoing scrutiny surrounding the former Arsenal midfielder, who faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He denies all charges and asserts his intention to clear his name.
The prospect of England’s players greeting Partey before kick-off has become a topic of discussion ahead of the Group L encounter. Terry, the former Chelsea captain, insists he would extend the courtesy of a handshake, indicating that footballers should ultimately have the autonomy to make their own decisions.
“Listen, I think they’re all big boys, and they’ll make their own decisions,” Terry said. “But I think you do the right thing in terms of millions of people watching. Like you said, Piers, it’s innocent until proven guilty. And I don’t know the facts or the ins and outs of the case, so I’m certainly not in a place to comment. But if you’re asking me, would I shake the player’s hand? Yes, I would,” he added.
Jordan concurred with Terry’s viewpoint, highlighting the distinction between being charged and being convicted. He noted that his stance has evolved over the course of the case, having suggested earlier that he would remove a player from action during ongoing legal proceedings if it served the best interests of a club.
“As John has said, we discussed this on another show, and I talked about it from the principle of being a club owner with a player facing that sort of allegation and what it looked like,” said Jordan. “Moving from allegation to being charged is a different barrier to me. If he had moved from an allegation to being charged, I would take him out of commission because I think it would be in the best interests of the club’s reputation.”
Both Terry and Jordan emphasised the principle of innocent until proven guilty, urging caution in how public judgment is passed. “Without undermining the values of a victim, you are innocent until proven guilty,” Jordan said. “Judging people, be careful how you judge people, because one day someone will come along and judge you.”
Partey, for his part, has expressed that he remains focused on football, deliberately not allowing external pressures to interfere with his preparations for the clash against England.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has also indicated that he will not instruct his players on whether they should greet Partey, suggesting the decision will ultimately rest with individual squad members. The issue is likely to remain in the spotlight when England and Ghana meet at 9pm tonight, evoking questions about sportsmanship and personal accountability within the framework of serious allegations.
As the sport grapples with the complexities surrounding player conduct off the pitch, it serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between morality and professionalism in football, especially at a globally significant event like the World Cup.
