Chilean football star Arturo Vidal, along with players from his first-division club Colo Colo, is under investigation for sexual assault, according to the prosecutor’s office in Santiago. The investigation follows a complaint made against the players, although no arrests have been made so far. The office did not disclose which other Colo Colo players are involved in the probe.
Chilean media reported that the alleged incident occurred in the early hours of Monday at a Santiago nightclub, where a group of Colo Colo players was celebrating a birthday. Police chief Gerardo Aravena confirmed that Vidal, 37, was brought in for an identity check. The former Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Inter Milan midfielder has scored 34 goals in 142 appearances for the Chilean national team.
This investigation comes shortly after former Chile international Jorge Valdivia, 41, was placed in preventive custody following a rape accusation. Valdivia has denied the charges, claiming he had a consensual relationship with the woman involved. Valdivia was part of Chile’s “Golden Generation,” which won the 2015 Copa America, and also played in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.