Former Celta Vigo captain found guilty of sexually assaulting Espanyol mascot

Former Celta Vigo captain Hugo Mallo has been found guilty of sexual assault after an incident dating back 2019, when his side were playing Espanyol. Mallo, 33, who is currently playig for Aris Salonika in Greece, will be hit with a financial penalty.

Ahead of a match at the RCDE Stadium, Mallo was shaking the hands of his opponents, when the Celta player shook the hand of ‘Ana’, and as per the judgement, introduced his hand between the costume of the mascot to touch her breasts without her consent. Mallo had denied the charges and sought a ‘not guilty’ verdict.

Originally a penalty of 24 months of Mallo’s income had been sought, but instead the judge imposed a sentence of €1k in damages plus interest, which at a rate of €10 per day over 20 months will amount to around €6k. The defence is preparing an appeal to the case, which is expected to be submitted in the next 10 days, as detailed by Diario AS.

Mallo’s incident is the latest in the series of grim incidents in Spanish football, most notably Valencia forward Rafa Mir last week, who was accused of alleged sexual assault. This week a contract used by footballers to gain consent has also come to light.