Legendary Brazilian and Barcelona soccer player Dani Alves has been sentenced to prison in a trial that has turned him into a criminal.
“A Spanish court has sentenced Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves to four years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub,” the BBC reported on Jan. 22 (KST).
Alves was arrested by police in January last year for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona, Spain. The incident took place on December 31, 2022, and the investigation began after a 23-year-old woman who claimed to have been victimized by Alves filed a complaint against him.
The woman alleged that Alves insisted on entering the bathroom at the time, ignored her requests to leave the bathroom, and forcibly continued to have sex with her. Following a court order, Alves was subsequently jailed in a local Spanish prison.
During the investigation, Alves claimed that his relationship with the woman was consensual, but the court ordered him to be held without bail.
“Since the investigation began, Alves has changed his story four times,” local media outlets explained at the time, “while the victim’s account was consistent, and DNA tests showed traces of Alves’ bodily fluids on the victim’s body.”
“Alves was denied bail in February and May, and his defense requested bail once again on the condition that he surrender his passport and wear a tracking device, but the Barcelona court rejected the request based on flight risk.”
Prior to the trial, Barcelona prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Alves to nine years in prison and to pay the victim 150,000 euros (about $213,000) in restitution, but the court sentenced him to four and a half years, just half of the prosecution’s request.
“Alves is accused of luring the victim into a restroom in the VIP area of the nightclub,” the outlet explained, “He claimed that she could have left if she wanted to, but the court ruled that she did not consent.”
“In its statement, the court said that in addition to the victim’s testimony, there was evidence that she had been sexually assaulted,” he added, “Alves changed his testimony several times during the trial.”
“Alves initially denied knowing the woman, later said they met in a restroom and nothing happened, and then changed his story again, claiming they had consensual sex,” the court said, explaining why Alves was convicted.
With the evidence clear, the court sentenced Alves to 토토사이트 four and a half years in prison, exactly half of the nine years prosecutors had sought. It also ordered him to pay 150,000 euros ($213,000) in restitution to the victim.
The legendary Alves, who won 126 caps for the Brazilian national soccer team, was considered a world-class fullback during his prime, playing for Sevilla and Barcelona.
He played 406 games for Barcelona, winning a whopping 24 trophies, including three UEFA Champions League titles. His career trophy total is 43, making him the second most decorated player in soccer history after his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi (44 – Inter Miami).
Alves, arguably one of the best defenders of all time, was released by his Mexican club UNAM Pumas in the waning days of his career after being involved in a sexual assault case.
Alves was ultimately sentenced to prison, and while he still has the opportunity to appeal the verdict, his guilty verdict at the first trial left a huge stain on his career.