Pumas sacked Dani Alves due to alleged sexual assault

"Club Universidad Nacional has taken the decision to terminate with just cause the employment contract with the player Daniel Alves". With such simplicity and precision, Leopoldo Silva, president of Pumas, announced the dismissal of Dani Alves as a Pumas player. The reason: the player's imprisonment for an alleged sexual assault, to which could be added a rape that allegedly took place in the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona.

"With regard to the legal process that the player Daniel Alves is facing and for which he is being detained in Spain, we have determined to communicate the following: Club Universidad Nacional has taken the decision to terminate with just cause the employment contract with the player Daniel Alves as of this day," said the head of his team in the first part of his appearance before the press. He cited it for the same reason.

"With this decision, the club reaffirms its commitment to not tolerate acts by any member of our institution, whoever they may be, that go against our spirit and values. The Universidad Nacional Club is an institution that promotes respect, integrity and professional behaviour on and off the field by its players, who are a role model in society, in Mexico and anywhere in the world," added the president.

Dani Alves is thus to all intents and purposes dismissed from Pumas. He could claim that the dismissal was made without just cause but, given the circumstances, it is quite likely that his lawyers will not even exhaust the administrative avenues available to them. They have to focus on his defence of the case that has him embroiled in Spain and could end not only his career, but his image.