Robinho will remain among the Brazilian
players called for national duty in February despite the scandal he is immersed
in, Brazil national coach Carlos Dunga confirmed Wednesday, dpa reported.
The Manchester City striker, 25, was arrested and questioned by police on
Tuesday into allegations of a sexual assault at a Leeds nightclub on January
14.
Robinho was released on bail and, through his official website, has staunchly
denied any involvement.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), in turn, issued a statement in
which Dunga said he still plans to have the talented striker in the squad for
the friendly game against Italy that is set to be played in London on February
10.
"I have no reason to doubt Robinho. He is a player who responded whenever
I needed him to, and who with the Brazilian national team has an exemplary
behaviour. He is even one of those players who shows the full pleasure of
wearing the national team shirt both in games and in training," the coach
stressed.
According to the CBF, Dunga spoke to Robinho, and the player assured him that
he was not involved in sexual assault. Instead, the striker claimed to have been
a victim of "an opportunist person" and he noted that he fulfilled
all the requirements "to clear up the matter as soon as possible."
The CBF did not say whether these "requirements" included DNA tests.
According to British media, Robinho had to undergo such testing on Wednesday to
prove that he was not involved in the assault.
The forward, whose full name is Robson de Souza, only last week created a stir
when he left the team's training camp on Tenerife without permission and flew
to Brazil.
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