Former Barcelona and Brazil star Dani Alves, who is facing sexual assault charges, was denied bail again and will remain in jail. The Barcelona court rejected the request of the former Brazilian star due to a risk of escaping, despite the lawyers of Alves stating that their client was also keen to accept any kind of measure imposed by the same court, including turning in his passport or wearing a tracking device.
The denial means that Dani Alves will remain in prison while the sexual assault accusation against him is still being investigated. The Barcelona court issued the following statement on Monday: "We consider that no other precautionary measure can neutralize that risk with sufficient guarantees and his flight would prevent the holding of the trial that requires the presence of the individual being investigated".
This is the third time that Alves was denied a similar request, after it already happened in February and May. The Brazilian player is currently in pre-trial detention with a date of the hearing still to be announced.
The 40 year-old former defender was detained last January after being accused of a sexual assault against a woman at a nightclub in Barcelona on December 30. Alves has denied the accusation and affirmed that the incident with the woman was consensual, but the judge decided to jail him after the initial probe and hearing from the former player, the alleged victim and witnesses.
Alves won 42 soccer titles, including three Champions Leagues with FC Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil. He played in his third World Cup last year in Qatar while Mexican club Pumas terminated his contract after the player was accused of the sexual assault.
