Spain court orders Alves remanded in custody on sex assault allegations
MIAMI — Sotheby’s is listing an iconic jersey worn by LeBron James during his NBA Finals Game 7 victory with the Miami Heat against the San Antonio Spurs in 2013.
The company expects the jersey to sell for between US$3 million and US$5 million in the online auction, making it among the most valuable game-worn jerseys of all time, according to a press release. The jersey, which he wore in the first half, is said to be James’ most valuable item to go up for sale.
The jersey commemorates James’ first NBA Finals Game 7 appearance, which was one of the most significant performances of his career. The bout against the San Antonio Spurs received the highest point tally of any winning Game 7 performance in NBA Finals history, Sotheby’s said in the release. The company added that the jersey also commemorates James’ back-to-back championships and NBA Finals MVP awards with the Miami Heat. James is one of only six players in NBA history to be awarded back-to-back NBA Finals MVP trophies.
James’ jersey will be showcased as part of Sotheby’s new cross-category sale, “The One,” which showcases objects from ancient civilizations as well as antique items related to fashion and entertainment, according to the press release.
The inaugural live auction will take place in New York on January 27.
“As Lebron is on the precipice of surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, it’s significant to be offering a defining object in LeBron’s career which many attributes as the legacy-defining milestone that began the comparison between himself and Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all time,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, said in the release. Retail investors have expanded into sports collectible markets to diversify their assets amid the uncertainty of traditional investing markets. Sotheby’s has entered the sports memorabilia space in recent years, and currently holds the record for any game-worn item of sports memorabilia after selling Michael Jordan’s 1998 “Last Dance” jersey for US$10.1 million in September, according to the press release. The jersey surpassed the previous record of Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” jersey, which sold for $9.3 million. — CNBC
BRASILIA 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 ee.
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 2 January from a woman who accused Alves of sexual assault.
The charge of sexual assault in Spain can mean anything from unsolicited and unwanted sexual groping to rape.
While police declined to give details on the case, a source close to the investigation told
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 3031 December, 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 sta in the club, who activated Barcelona city council's protocol against assaults and sexual harassment.
A Barcelona court said earlier this month it had opened a probe "into an alleged crime of sexual assault as a result of a complaint led by a woman against a footballer".
Alves has con rmed 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.
"I was there, at that place, with more people having fun. Everybody knows I love to dance. "Having a good time but without invading the space of others," the former Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain player added. His wife, Spanish model Joana Sanz, told Antena 3 in an interview on January 9, that her husband had gone "out to dinner with friends, to disconnect a bit" on December 30.
"He went out to dance and try to enjoy music as he likes, period. Nothing wrong happened...I know how respectful he is," she added. Alves 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.
In a phenomenally successful career, Alves made 408 appearances for Barcelona, with 391 of those coming in his rst spell from 20082016.
During that initial stint, he won six LaLiga 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.
He was signed by the Pumas last July after leaving Barcelona for a second time.
The Pumas, who are linked to the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said on Friday that they had terminated Alves' contract. "The club reiterates its commitment not to tolerate acts by any member of our institution, whoever they may be, that go against the university spirit and its values," Pumas boss Leopoldo Silva told reporters Supersport