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Rio de Janeiro, March 24 (IANS): Brazilian football great Ronaldinho will no longer receive visits at the Paraguayan jail where he is being held as local authorities attempt to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
Ronaldinho and his brother, Roberto Assis, have been imprisoned since March 6 for allegedly using fake passports to enter the South American country, reports Xinhua news agency.
It is reported that Paraguayan officials have ordered that the prison on the outskirts of capital Asuncion tighten protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
In addition to barring all visitors except lawyers, jail staff have been ordered to wear protective gloves and masks while all prisoners must undergo a daily health check, a Globo Esporte news portal report said.
Ronaldinho and Assis travelled to Paraguay on March 4 to participate in a children's charity event and promote a new book. The pair were arrested later that day when police realised they had entered the country with fake passports.
They have denied any wrongdoing and said they were presented with the doctored travel documents as a "gift" upon arriving at Asuncion's international airport.
A judge refused the brothers' request for house arrest and ordered them to remain in jail pending the police investigation, citing a flight risk.
Ronaldinho retired from football in 2018 after a career that included a World Cup triumph in 2002 and two FIFA World Player of the Year awards.