Former Premier League striker is arrested on suspicion of alleged sexual assault – as he is held at a police station in Valencia overnight and misses training
Former Wolves striker Rafa Mir has been arrested on suspicion of an alleged sexual assault.
The 27-year-old was held last night and failed to show for training this morning with LaLiga side Valencia, where he is currently on loan from Sevilla.
The Civil Guard confirmed a LaLiga footballer had been arrested, but denied Spanish media reports a second man was also in custody at present.
A spokesman for the force in Valencia said: ‘We can confirm a LaLiga footballer has been arrested over an alleged sexual assault.
‘No-one else has been arrested at the moment but that may change later.’
Former Wolves striker Rafa Mir has been arrested on suspicion of an alleged sexual assault
Mir (right, pictured with Bruno Lage in 2021), 27, was on the books at Wolves from 2018-2021
Mir was held last night and failed to show for training this morning with LaLiga side Valencia
He added: ‘The man who has been detained is currently in police custody.’
A source close to the inquiry said: ‘Under Spanish law police have 72 hours from the time of arrest to hold him in custody before releasing him or handing him over a judge who has the right to question him further before deciding in principle whether to free him on bail or remand him in custody pending an ongoing investigation.
‘The arrest took place yesterday evening.’
The Civil Guard has not offered any information about what type of sexual assault had allegedly taken place, and whether the women were alleging they had been raped.
Sources close to the ongoing investigation have told Spanish radio station Ser that Mir and another man were arrested over an alleged sex crime against two women aged around 25 at the footballer’s home.
The pair are currently being held at a police station in Valencia.
Mir, full name Rafael Mir Vicente, won the 2019 European Championship with the Spain Under 21 football team and a silver medal with the Olympic team at the 2020 tournament.
He joined Wolves on a four-and-a-half year contract in January 2018 and took the number 9 shirt, linking up with former Valencia boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
He had loan spells at Las Palmas and Nottingham Forest while with Wolves, and left the club for good in August 2021 when he signed a six-year contract with Sevilla.
He returned to boyhood club Valencia on loan in July.
