The Premier League withdrew Ryan Giggs's invitation to become an inaugural member of its Hall of Fame after he faced criminal charges, according to reports. The former Manchester United midfielder was initially selected alongside Alan Shearer for the honour in 2020, but the ceremony was postponed due to the Covid pandemic. When the event was rescheduled in 2021, Thierry Henry took his place.
Giggs, who made 963 appearances for Manchester United between 1991 and 2014, was charged in April 2021 with controlling or coercive behaviour against his former partner Kate Greville and assaulting her sister. The charges were withdrawn in 2023 after his ex-partner declined to give evidence at a retrial. The Crown Prosecution Service said there was no longer sufficient evidence to proceed with the controlling or coercive behaviour charge and that it was not in the public interest to pursue the remaining assault charges.
Since the collapse of the case, there have been growing calls for the 52-year-old to be included among the league's greatest players. Giggs holds the record for the most Premier League titles won by any player, with 13. He also scored 168 goals for United.
In December, Giggs said the Hall of Fame was “not something that I really think about”. He told the Daily Mail: “If it happens, great. If it doesn’t, then I won’t lose sleep over it.” The Premier League is understood to have been in dialogue with Giggs's agents since 2020, with conversations last held before the most recent induction ceremony in November.
In a statement, the Premier League said the shortlist is selected at its discretion in consultation with an awards panel, and final inductees are determined by existing members of the Hall of Fame. It added that factors such as previous voting data, eras, player positions and achievements are considered.
