Footage circulating on social media appears to show England full-back Djed Spence not shaking hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey before their World Cup match in Boston.
The report indicates that footage circulating on social media appears to show England full-back Djed Spence not shaking hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey before their World Cup match in Boston.
It further notes that partey was booed by England fans as he made his first appearance of this year’s World Cup, having missed his nation’s first game.
The 33-year-old was denied entry into Canada after telling officials he had never been arrested nor charged with a crime, and missed Ghana’s 1-0 win against Panama in Toronto as a result.
Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022 and is scheduled to stand trial next year.
BBC Sport understands the Football Association did not discuss the pre-match handshake with players before the match.
There were boos from the crowd at Boston Stadium as the Villarreal and former Arsenal midfielder’s name was read out over the public address system before the Group L match, while his touches of the ball were regularly met with jeers.
Partey stated before Tuesday’s match he felt “ready to play” against England.
In a statement, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stated last week: “The US is aware of the pending court case for Mr Partey.
“However, at this time, he has not been convicted of a crime and was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa.”
