The Premier League had initially planned to honor Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs by inducting him into their Hall of Fame. However, these plans were put on hold when he was tried for domestic abuse charges involving his former girlfriend.
At 52, Giggs was set to be one of the first inductees, alongside Alan Shearer, as the Premier League introduced the Hall of Fame concept, drawing inspiration from similar traditions in American sports.
According to the Telegraph, Giggs was discreetly removed from the selection process because of the legal charges he was facing.
The initial announcement of Hall of Fame inductees was supposed to occur in 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
As time went on, the nomination committee became aware of the ongoing legal situation between Giggs and his accuser, resulting in his exclusion from the list, according to reports.
In July 2023, Giggs was acquitted of the charges related to the alleged assault of his ex-girlfriend and her sister.
Ryan Giggs, pictured leaving court in 2022, was cleared of domestic abuse charges
Giggs, pictured with David Beckham (left) after winning the Champions League in 1999, was quietly removed from the Hall of Fame process
He denied controlling and coercive behaviour towards his former partner, Kate Greville, and also denied he assaulted her sister, Emma.
He said he did not ‘lose control’ and headbutt his ex-girlfriend or elbow her sister in the jaw during a row at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester on 1 November 2020.
In 2022 the jury failed to reach verdicts on any of the charges and there was then supposed to be a retrial the following year.
But the Crown Prosecution Service then announced they would not proceed, with KC Peter Wright saying Greville ‘indicated an unwillingness’ to give evidence once again before adding that the ordeal had ‘taken its toll’ on the family.
Giggs’ representative said: ‘The position is that he has always been innocent of these charges and there have been very many lies told about him.’
The winger stood down as Wales boss in 2020 in light of the charges before officially resigning two years later.
There could be growing clamour for Giggs to be considered for the Hall of Fame again two-and-a-half years after being cleared.
Other inductees have been included by the Premier League despite their varying indiscretions.
Calls for Giggs to be reconsidered for the Hall of Fame could now grow louder
John Terry was banned for four games by the FA for racism, Rio Ferdinand served an eight-month suspension for missing a drugs test and Eric Cantona was convicted of assault but all three are in the Hall of Fame.
Giggs previously told Daily Mail Sport: ‘It’s not something that I really think about. It’s been brought up a couple of times, and only then do I think about it. [The Hall of Fame] isn’t something you start in football to be in.’
The process by which legends of the Premier League are chosen for inclusion is combining a public vote with a shortlist determined by a panel. Current members of the Hall of Fame then make the final selection.
Giggs made 963 appearances for Manchester United, scoring 168 goals and was part of their famous treble-winning side.
He remains one of the most decorated footballers of all time and won 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, four FA Cups and three League Cups.
There are currently 24 Premier League Hall of Fame members and last year’s inductees were Eden Hazard and Gary Neville.
When asked about Giggs, a spokesperson for the top flight told the Telegraph: ‘The Premier League Hall of Fame shortlist is selected at the discretion of the Premier League in consultation with members of the Premier League Awards Panel.
‘The shortlist is reviewed on an annual basis with a number of factors taken into account including previous shortlist-voting data, eras, player positions and achievements. New players who meet the criteria for selection become eligible upon their retirement from professional football.’
