Brazilian football icon Dani Alves has been handed a prison sentence exceeding four years for sexual assault following a verdict delivered by a Barcelona court.
After a three-day trial earlier this month, a three-judge panel ruled Alves guilty of sexually assaulting a woman. The victim’s lawyer, Ester Garcia, confirmed that neither she nor her client attended the courthouse for the verdict.
The court’s decision, supported by evidence and the victim’s testimony, outlined that the encounter was non-consensual. In addition to the prison term, Alves was ordered to pay 150,000 euros ($219,000 Cdn) in compensation to the victim along with covering legal costs.
Upon completing his sentence, Alves, 40, will be subject to five years of monitoring and must refrain from contacting or approaching the victim. The assault took place in the early hours of December 31, 2022, within a bathroom of an upscale Barcelona nightclub.
Prosecutors had initially sought a nine-year sentence, while the victim’s legal team pursued 12 years. Alves’ defense sought acquittal or, in the event of conviction, a one-year sentence along with compensation for the victim.
Throughout the trial, Alves denied the rape allegations, asserting, “I am not that kind of man.” Nonetheless, he has been in custody since his arrest on January 20, 2023, with bail requests denied due to flight risk concerns.
The victim recounted to prosecutors that she had willingly entered the nightclub bathroom with Alves but later faced physical and sexual coercion when she sought to leave. Alves initially denied any sexual contact during investigations before admitting to consensual relations, citing attempts to salvage his marriage by concealing the encounter initially.
His defense emphasized his alleged intoxication during the incident.
Alves, known for his illustrious career with clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as his contributions to Brazil’s national team, including victories in Copa America and an Olympic gold medal, was with Pumas at the time of his arrest, leading to the termination of his contract.
This case marks a significant trial following Spain’s legal reforms in 2022, which emphasized consent in defining sexual crimes, prompted by public outrage over a high-profile gang-rape case during the San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona in 2016.
