Chile footballer Vidal cleared of suspicion in sexual assault case

Chilean football star Arturo Vidal has been cleared of suspicion of sexual assault, prosecutors said Saturday, adding that the complaint made by a woman over a party at a Santiago night club had been dismissed. (X/@kingarturo23)
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Updated 03 May 2025
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Chile footballer Vidal cleared of suspicion in sexual assault case

  • The woman accused Vidal and other Colo Colo players of sexual assault
  • Other unnamed members of Vidal’s team remain under investigation

SANTIAGO: Chilean football star Arturo Vidal has been cleared of suspicion of sexual assault, prosecutors said Saturday, adding that the complaint made by a woman over a party at a Santiago night club had been dismissed.
The woman accused Vidal, 37, and other players from his first-division Colo Colo side of sexual assault at a club, where the footballers were celebrating a birthday on November 4.
“We were able to reconstitute the events of that day and, ultimately, there is no evidence to support charges,” prosecutor Felipe Cembrano said in a video sent to the media.
Other unnamed members of Vidal’s team remain under investigation, however.
Former Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Inter Milan midfielder Vidal returned last year to Colo Colo, where he started his career at 17.
He was part of the so-called “Golden Generation” that led Chile to victory in the 2015 Copa America.


Alcaraz powers into Indian Wells quarter-finals

Updated 12 March 2026
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Alcaraz powers into Indian Wells quarter-finals

  • Alcaraz will next face 2021 champion Cameron Norrie, who earlier beat Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 6-4 ⁠6-2

World number one Carlos Alcaraz ‌continued his dominant run at Indian Wells, beating Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-1 7-6(2) on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals in the California desert.
The Spaniard relied on ​a near-flawless service game to seize control of the match, racing through the opening set in just 37 minutes after breaking Ruud’s serve three times.
Thirteenth-seeded Ruud raised his level in the second set and forced a tiebreak, hoping to push the match to a decider, but Alcaraz kept his foot on the gas to seal his 15th consecutive victory of the season to reach the quarter-finals ‌for a fifth ‌straight year.
“The conditions were difficult to be ​honest. ‌Today ⁠the ​ball was ⁠tough to control but we both played great,” two-time champion Alcaraz said in his on-court interview.
“My first set was incredible I’m really happy of playing that kind of level, really happy to get through and hopefully I’ll play this level on the next round.”
Alcaraz will next face 2021 champion Cameron Norrie, who earlier beat Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 6-4 ⁠6-2, with the Spaniard looking to avenge a defeat ‌to the Briton at last year’s ‌Paris Masters.

SWIATEK, PEGULA THROUGH
World number two Iga ​Swiatek delivered a dominant 6-2 6-0 ‌victory over Czech 13th seed Karolina Muchova, reeling off 10 consecutive ‌games to secure her fifth win over the Czech, whom she also beat at the same stage of the tournament last year.
“I felt I was playing better and better, just great,” Swiatek said.
“I love playing here ... It’s ‌a great place to play tennis, hopefully I can keep doing that until the end.”
Swiatek, chasing a ⁠third Indian Wells ⁠title, will face ninth seed Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals after the Ukrainian advanced when Katerina Siniakova retired injured.
American fifth seed Jessica Pegula overcame Belinda Bencic 6-3 7-6(5) to secure her first victory in five meetings between the pair.
Pegula, coming off a dramatic comeback win over Jelena Ostapenko, took control as she clinched the opening set — her first ever against the Swiss — before edging a tightly contested tiebreak to close out the match.
Russian 11th seed Daniil Medvedev beat Alex Michelsen 6-2 6-4 in a commanding performance, needing just one ​hour and 27 minutes to ​dismantle the American and maintain his strong form after winning last month’s Dubai Open.