Spain court denies Barcelona legend Dani Alves' appeal to be freed on bail

A Spanish court denied Dani Alves appeal on Tuesday to be freed on bail while the investigation of a sexual assault accusation against the Brazilian soccer player continuesThe court ruled that Alves was a flight risk and must remain in prison during the investigation A trial has not been setAlves was provisionally detained in January after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a nightclub on Dec 30 He has denied wrongdoing and said sex with the accuser was consensualA judge ordered him to be jailed without bail after analyzing the initial probe by authorities and hearing testimony from Alves the alleged victim and others witnessesAlves lawyers filed the appeal saying the Brazilian agreed to turn in his passport and wear a tracking device if he was freed Alves would also report to the court and to authorities as often as required including daily and would not go within 500 meters yards of the accuser or her home or workplaceBut the court ruled that those measures would not be enough to keep the player from potentially trying to escape considering he faces several years in prison if found guiltyAlso Read Brazilian Dani Alves to be probed for sexual assaultIt also said there was considerable evidence that a crime might have been committed and that Alves wealth could make it easier for him to try to flee regardless of the amount of bailNothing would stop Mr Alves from leaving Spain by air sea or even land without documentation and reaching his country of origin where he could stay knowing that he would not be delivered to Spain despite international arrest warrants or extradition orders the court saidBrazil does not extradite its own citizens when they are sentenced in other countries Another former Brazil player Robinho had a nineyear sentence for the rape of a young woman in Italy upheld by a top Italian court last year but he remains free in BrazilThe 39yearold Alves can appeal again while the court decides whether to set up a trialUnder Spains sexual consent law passed last year sexual assault takes in a wide array of crimes from online abuse and groping to rape each with different possible punishments A case of rape can receive a maximum sentence of 15 yearsAlves won 42 soccer titles including three Champions Leagues with Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil He played in his third World Cup last year in QatarThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever