A former star of the soccer team is arrested in Chile for alleged sexual assault

HojSANTIAGO.- The former footballer and former national team ChiliJorge Valdivia, was arrested on Tuesday after being reported for alleged sexual assaultreported the Prosecutor’s Office.

The arrest occurred in the early hours of Tuesday after the Public Ministry issued an arrest warrant against him. The investigation of the case is expected to be formalized in the afternoon.

“He is currently detained,” the Prosecutor’s Office indicated in a message to journalists, specifying that the exact crime will be revealed at the hearing this afternoon.

The day before, the authorities had confirmed that they received a complaint of sexual abuse against Valdivia, 41, champion of the Copa América with Chile in 2015.

According to the accusation, the events occurred last Sunday night after a meeting in a Peruvian restaurant in the commune of Providencia, in the Chilean capital, and the following morning the alleged victim filed a complaint with the Legal Medical Service.

The former player and current sports commentator, born in Venezuela and with dual citizenship, denied having committed a sexual assault and stated that he had a “consensual relationship.”

“I do not know the motivations for this action, but I categorically deny having sexually assaulted any person,” Valdivia told local media before his arrest.

Football resume

Considered one of the most talented players in Chilean soccer, Valdivia was trained in the lower divisions of Colo-Colo, where he established himself in 2005. He had a brief stint in European soccer, positioning himself among the big names in American sports after his stay at Brazilian club Palmeiras and, later, he played for Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates before returning to Chilean football.

In addition, the former midfielder was an absolute international with the Chilean team from 2004 to 2017, with which he won the Copa América in 2015. However, his regularity in the national team was undermined by some disciplinary infractions that resulted in various suspensions.