Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves must remain in custody due to allegations of sexual assault. The court in Barcelona refused to release him on bail for the second time today due to the risk that he would flee Spain.
The 39-year-old Alves was arrested by the police in January and placed in custody after a court hearing. The judge then refused to release him on bail.
A few days later, Alves was transferred to another detention center for security reasons. Catalan authorities said the new facility is divided into smaller units where it is easier to provide safe conditions for detainees, who include both those who have already been convicted and those on remand.
Alves was accused by an unnamed woman of groping her under her underwear against her will while visiting a nightclub in Barcelona at the end of last December.
The famous football player has previously denied any wrongdoing, saying that he does not know the woman at all.
The player’s lawyer applied for bail, suggesting that Alves surrender his passport and wear an electronic bracelet that would monitor his movements. He also argued for Alves’ family ties in Spain. But the court rejected it.
“There is a high risk of flight due to the severe sentence he faces in this case. His financial strength would allow him to leave Spain at any time,” the court said.
People close to the investigation told Spanish newspaper El País that the 23-year-old woman will not seek financial compensation from Alves. She says she only wants him to serve his sentence in prison.
During a rich and long career, Alves won over 40 trophies. He won six titles with Barcelona and won the Champions League three times. He has also been involved in Sevilla, Juventus, Paris St. Germain or Sao Paulo.
He played 126 games for the Brazilian national team. The year before last, he won the Olympic gold in Tokyo, and last year in Qatar, he took part in the World Championships for the third time.
After the outbreak of the current scandal, he lost his engagement with the Mexican club UNAM Pumas.
