A Spanish appeal court has quashed the conviction of former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves or for rape.
The footballer had been convicted of raping a random young woman he met at a night club in 2022.
The appeal court cited “inconsistencies and contradictions” in the case leading to the former player’s conviction and 4½-year jail sentence in February 2024.
The appeal court held that the lower court’s judgement disregarded “gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and contradictions” in the prosecution’s case.
Alves was released from jail on bail in March 2024 while his appeal was being heard.
The court also questioned the complainant’s account, noting that it had not been thoroughly scrutinized and compared to fingerprint and biological evidence.
Furthermore, the court ruled that the complainant’s claim that she accompanied Alves to the bathroom out of fear was not reasonable.
The court concluded that the alleged victim had “voluntarily gone to the bathroom area for the purpose of being with the defendant in a more intimate space.” As a result, the Catalan court lifted all restrictions on Alves, including a travel ban and restraining order.
However, the verdict can still be appealed to the Supreme Court. Alves’ lawyer, Ines Guardiola, expressed her client’s happiness and relief, stating that “justice has spoken”
Dani Alves had a distinguished football career, with successful spells at Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris St-Germain. He also won numerous titles with Brazil, including two Copa Americas and an Olympic gold medal at the age of 38.
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