Daily Times

BARCELONA: A Spanish judge ordered Brazil soccer player Dani Alves be jailed on remand without bail over an alleged sexual assault of a woman in a Barcelona nightclub, the regional court system said on Friday. The 39-year-old, who has denied any wrongdoing, was taken to the Brians 1 jail outside Barcelona, said a source with knowledge of the matter. Earlier on Friday, Alves appeared before a Barcelona judge after local police detained and questioned him. The public prosecutor had requested he be jailed without bail pending trial. His Mexican club Pumas UNAM announced they had terminated his contract with immediate effect. “The club reiterates its commitment to not tolerate acts by any member, whoever they may be, that go against the club’s spirit and its values,” Pumas sporting president Leopoldo Silva said. “We cannot allow the conduct of one person to damage our work philosophy, which has been an example throughout history.”

The alleged victim had filed a complaint earlier this month and the case remains open over a crime of sexual assault, Catalonia’s court system said in a statement. Catalan police said they received a complaint on January 2 from a woman who said Alves had touched her inappropriately. The alleged sexual assault took place at a popular Barcelona nightclub overnight December 30-31, according to Spanish media reports. Daily newspaper ABC said Alves allegedly put his hands inside the underwear of a woman without her consent while she was dancing with friends and then followed her into a toilet. She is said to have informed security staff in the club, who activated Barcelona city council’s protocol against assaults and sexual harassment.

Alves told Antena 3 TV earlier this month that he was at the club with other people but denied any such behaviour. “I was dancing and having a good time without invading anyone’s space,” he said. “I don’t know who this lady is… How could I do that to a woman? No.” In a phenomenally successful career, Alves made 408 appearances for Barcelona, with 391 of those coming in his first spell from 2008-2016. During that initial stint, he won six La Liga titles, three Champions League crowns and four Copa del Rey trophies. Alves joined PSG in July 2017 on a free transfer after leaving Juventus and spent two years at the Qatari-owned French giants. Alves, who now plays for Mexican side Pumas UNAM, was in Barcelona on holiday following his participation at the World Cup with Brazil in Qatar. He was the oldest player to represent Brazil at the men’s World Cup.