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Djed Spence appears to refuse Thomas Partey handshake

sportsJun 23, 202622744

England fullback Djed Spence did not shake Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey's hand during prematch handshakes before the England vs Ghana World Cup match, keeping his right hand in his pocket. Pitchside video shows Spence stepping past Partey while other players exchanged greetings. Partey faces trial in the U.K. next year on seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, which has made his presence at the tournament controversial. Spence's refusal matters because it signals an individual player distancing himself from a teammate facing criminal charges and may intensify scrutiny of how teams handle accused players.

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