A judge in Brazil has banned football legend, Ronaldinho Gaucho, from leaving the country.
The court ruling delivered by judge Newton Fabricio ordered that Ronaldinho and his brother, Assis Moreira, should have their passports seized by authorities.
The seizure order was made to guarantee the payment of a £1.75million fine imposed on the pair for breaking environmental construction regulations in 2015.
Prosecution teams originally pursued charges against Ronaldinho for damages caused to the environment while building the Ronaldinho Gaucho Institute in his hometown of Porto Alegre.
The charity works with young and impoverished people in the city and has been lauded for its work.
The former Barcelona star has not settled the fine and authorities are adamant that the fine must be paid.
Prosecutors recently seized three luxury cars and a piece of art from the painter, Andre Berardo, from a house owned by Ronaldinho’s family.
They also claimed they only found five pounds in the former Barcelona star’s bank account.
Prosecutor Brasilino Pereira dos Santos said, “It seems we are dealing with a situation where the guilty party is clearly mocking the law in front of Brazilian society and the world.”
The judge had ordered Ronaldinho’s passport seized in November but the 38-year-old was out of the country on business engagements.
He only returned in December to celebrate the festivities with his family
His scheduled appearance at the Dubai International Sport Conference this week is now in doubt.
