Yesterday morning, it was announced that Dani Alves will spend four and a half years behind bars after he was found guilty for sexually assaulting a young woman at a nightclub.
The former Barcelona and Brazil right-back was found guilty, at court in Barcelona, for raping a 23-year-old woman at the nightclub in the Spanish City back in December 2022.
A written statement from the Audencia Nacional, in Barcelona, asserts that the victim did not consent to sex with Alves and that evidence presented to the court, alongside the statements from the victim, proved that she had been raped.
Alves denied the wrongdoing, and his lawyer, Ines Guardiola has said that they will appeal the case.
The prosecution had demanded a nine-year sentence and the victim’s legal team asked for 12.
Alves’ sentence is barely more than the minimum of four years and because he has completed a quarter of sentence on remand, he could be released sooner on licence.
Known as the most decorated player in the sports history, with 43 trophies to his name, Alves was ordered to pay €9000 (£7,700) for physical damage to the victim and in turn offered to pay €150,000 of compensation.
Yet, it has been confirmed that former international compatriot and Barcelona team-mate Neymar JR and his family funded the compensation.
Neymar also had sexual assault charges against him in 2016, which were then later dropped, yet it shows that there is an existing in the sport.
The court considered an attenuating circumstance when passing sentence and has ordered that the 40-year-old must be under legal supervision for at least five years, whilst also having a restraining order banning him from contact with the victim for nine years and six months.
The ruling suggests a shift away from the “victimisation of the victim” which hitherto has put the burden of proof regarding consent, or the lack thereof, the victim.
Spains vice-president, Yolanda Diaz, said she hoped the sentence would set an example. “This is over in our country, enough of Machismo and sexual aggression that we women suffer in all walks of life,” She said.
To hear more about the the case click on the link below:
