Former Barcelona and Brazil football icon Dani Alves has been handed a sentence of four years and six months in jail by a Spanish court after being found guilty of assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub, reports say. Despite denying the allegations, Alves was convicted of raping the woman on December 31, 2022, after the court determined that she did not provide consent.
The incident occurred when Alves and his companion bought champagne for three young women and then persuaded one of them to accompany him to an unfamiliar restroom area. Allegations state that he turned aggressive and engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with the woman. The court, supported by additional evidence, upheld the victim’s claim of rape.
Alves, a decorated footballer with over 400 appearances for Barcelona, where he secured numerous league titles and Champions League trophies, has been in custody since January 2023 following unsuccessful bail requests. Despite prosecutors seeking a nine-year jail term, Alves has the option to appeal the sentence. The incident underscores the significance of consent under Spain’s “Only Yes is Yes” principle, reflecting recent legal reforms addressing sexual assault cases.
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