Mexican club Pumas opt to terminate Dani Alves’ contract after his arrest over sexual assault allegations

Dani Alves has had his contract terminated by Mexico City side Pumas amid his sexual assault allegation and subsequent arrest on Friday.

A woman claimed that the Brazilian full-back sexually assaulted her in a nightclub in Barcelona on December 30th.

Liga MX side Pumas, also known as Club Universidad Nacional or UNAM, who Alves signed for in the summer of 2022, have opted to release the player ahead of the expiration of his contract, due to end in July of this year.

“With this decision, the club reiterates its promise not to tolerate acts by any member of our institution that violate the spirit of the institution and its values,” said Leopoldo Silva, the president of the club’s board of directors.

“The Universidad Nacional Club is an institution that promotes respect and integrity and upstanding behaviour on and off the field of its players because they are a role model in society, in Mexico and elsewhere in the world, and we cannot allow the conduct of one person to damage our philosophy that has always been exemplary in the training and development of young athletes in our country.”

Liga MX also released a statement prior to Silva’s press conference saying: “Liga MX, in conjunction with Club Universidad Nacional (Pumas), will be pending the case and the legal situation of the player to determine what is appropriate in terms of his participation in the league.”

Alves was arrested in Barcelona on Friday and after Catalonia’s supreme court confirmed proceedings had been opened for an alleged crime of sexual assault, he was sent to prison. The judge ordered that he be detained without bail given his high flight risk due to his residence being in Mexico, and his financial status.

Before his arrest, Alves denied the allegations, telling Spanish media that while he was at the club in question, he did not encounter the victim.