Giggs must wait for UEFA verdict

Ryan Giggs can expect to learn tomorrow whether he will miss the start of Wales’ World Cup 2006 qualifying campaign.

The Manchester United star was accused of elbowing Russia defender Vadim Evseev during the Euro 2004 play-off match in Moscow last month.

His case will be heard by UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body at the organisation’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland today. The committee are set to convene at 1pm Irish time but because a number of cases are being examined the verdicts will not likely be made public until tomorrow morning, a UEFA spokeswoman confirmed.

That means Wales could be robbed of Giggs’ services for the start of the World Cup qualifiers in September, with Mark Hughes’ finding out their opponents in qualifying at tomorrow’s draw in Frankfurt.

The Russian Football Union rushed a video of the alleged elbow to UEFA with a view to having Giggs banned for the second leg in Cardiff four days later – a match ultimately settled by a goal from Evseev.

The Football Association of Wales are likely to suggest Giggs was provoked by Evseev before he swung his elbow, which appeared to make minimal contact with the Russian.

The RFU have since withdrawn their complaint, but UEFA are still to hear the case today.

The Control and Disciplinary Body is chaired by Spaniard Josep Lluís Vilaseca Guasch and two of the other nine members are Scottish Football Association chief executive David Taylor and the general secretary of the Irish Football Association, David Bowen.

If found guilty, it will be the end of a troubled week for Giggs who was fined by the Football Association for his part in the fracas after the Premiership game against Arsenal at Old Trafford on September 21.

Giggs and United are still considering whether to appeal against that punishment.