Former Barca star Dani Alves sentenced to prison for sexual assault

The 40-year-old former Barcelona and Brazil right-back Dani Alves has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison for sexual assault, having been found guilty of assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year’s Eve 2022.

Penpushing reports that Alves who has been in custody since January 2023, must also pay his victim 150,000 euros in compensation and their legal costs, in a landmark case for Spain’s new sexual assault laws.

The court in the ruling declared that Alves had violated the victim’s consent and that evidence supported her accusations, while the footballer’s initial denials and later claims of consensual sex were rejected.

Penpushing further reports that Alves claimed he had tried to protect his marriage by initially denying the encounter, and his defence attempted to portray him as intoxicated, while a statement from the Audiencia de Barcelona on Thursday confirmed the sentence.

‘The Court of Barcelona has condemned footballer Dani Alves to four years and six months in prison for sexual assault. The victim must also receive 150,000 euros and have their legal costs paid. The sentence takes into consideration that it has been proven the victim did not consent and that there is evidence in addition to their testimony that proves the offence’, the statement reads

Penpushing also reports that the convict has the right to appeal the sentence, however, his requests for bail were denied due to flight risk concerns, as it is known that Brazil government does not extradite its citizens.

The record has it that Alves, a decorated footballer with numerous titles across elite clubs like Barcelona and Juventus, saw his contract with Mexican club Pumas terminated upon his arrest, while his career now hangs in the balance, with the conviction potentially ending his football playing career.

Penpushing reports that this case marks a significant moment for Spain, serving as the first high-profile test of its revised sexual assault legislation, which prioritizes consent, and this is not the first time a prominent figure in the football world will be enmeshed in sexual assault legal fireworks,

The records available showed that the likes of Mason Greenwood, Benjamin Mendy and even the duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar have at different times been accused but they were able to prove their cases.

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