Football
Mattias Karen, Arsenal correspondent 7y

Arsenal's Granit Xhaka won't face charges over racial abuse allegations

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka will not face charges over allegations he racially abused an airline worker after police dropped the case.

Xhaka, 24, had been accused of insultingĀ a white British Airlines worker at London's Heathrow Airport on Jan. 23 after his friend was not allowed to board a plane after missing the check-in deadline.

The Switzerland international was questioned by officers immediately after the incident but the Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Monday that no further action would be taken in the case.

"Police were called at 19:29hrs on Monday, 23 January following an allegation that a member of staff had been racially abused at Heathrow Airport, Terminal Five," it read. "The allegation was made by a third party.

"Officers attended and spoke with a man in his 20s. He was not arrested. He voluntarily attended a west London police station where he was interviewed under caution. He was released with no further action."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said Xhaka denied the allegations "completely" and defended the character of his player, who had been sent off with a straight red card against Burnley the day before.

Xhaka has been suspended since that sending off but is eligible to return for the Gunners on Wednesday in the Champions League round-of-16 first-leg clash at Bayern Munich.

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