Canadian police announce warrant for Chelsea’s Lucas Piazon in sexual assault case

Canadian police have issued a warrant to arrest Chelsea forward Lucas Piazon and his Brazil U-22 squad teammate Andrey in relation to a sexual assault incident that occurred during the Pan-Am games held in July this year.

According to the police, the incident occurred on the same day that the Brazilian team won 3-1 against Panama to clinch the bronze medal in the tournament, with Piazon also scoring in the game.

"The Toronto Police Service is alerting the public to a sexual assault investigation. It is alleged that: on Saturday, July 25, 2015, a 21-year-old woman, along with a friend, met two men in a nightclub in Toronto,” the police said in a statement.

"The two men accompanied the women to one woman's residence. Once inside the residence, the two men sexually assaulted one of the women. The two men have now been identified, and arrest warrants have been issued for Lucas Domingues Piazon, 21, and Andrey Da Silva Ventura, 22. They are both wanted for: 1. Sexual Assault. Both men are from Brazil. They were in Canada as participants in the 2015 Pan-Am Games as members of the Brazilian Pan-American football (soccer) team," the police went on to add.

Piazon joined Chelsea back in 2011, but has only made a solitary appearance for his parent club. The 21-year-old has spent most of his time on loan, which includes spells at Malaga, Vitesse Arnhem and Eintracht Frankfurt. He is currently on loan at Championship club Reading.

Andrey, who plays for Botafogo in Brazil, is wanted on a nationwide arrest warrant by Canada and could even be extradited while only an Ontario-wide arrest warrant has been issued against Piazon, which means he is unlikely to be extradited to the North American country. Chelsea have acknowledged reports regarding the warrant but declined to provide any further comments regarding the issue.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.