Brazil’s Alves remanded in custody on sex assault allegations in Spain
>> MADRID: A Spanish court on Friday ordered Brazil defender Dani Alves to be held in custody without bail after he was arrested in Barcelona on allegations he sexually assaulted a woman.
A Barcelona judge took the step after questioning the 39-year-old player regarding “events that allegedly took place at a nightclub,” the court said in a statement.
A source close to the dossier said the judge had taken the step — which was requested by public prosecutors — because the court considered there was a risk Alves would try to flee.
His club, Mexico’s Pumas, announced hours later that it had sacked the player because of what it called “just cause”.
Alves, one of football’s most successful players, was taken into custody earlier on Friday after being summoned to a Barcelona police station and was then sent before the judge.
Catalonian police said they received a complaint on Jan 2 from a woman who accused Alves of sexual assault.
While police declined to give details on the case, a source close to the investigation told AFP that Alves is accused of rape.
The woman reiterated her accusation before the judge on Friday, the source added.
The alleged sexual assault took place at a popular Barcelona nightclub overnight Dec 30-31, according to Spanish media reports.
Alves has confirmed he was at the nightclub at the time but has denied any wrongdoing, telling private Spanish channel Antena 3 earlier this month that he has “never seen” the woman before.
Alves was in Barcelona on holiday following his participation at the World Cup with Brazil in Qatar.