Soccer star Dani Alves found guilty of sexual assault by Spanish judges

The victim told prosecutors that she danced and willingly entered a restroom with Alves, one of the most decorated defenders in soccer history, at a Barcelona nightclub in the early morning hours of Dec. 31, 2022. The woman said Alves did not let her leave the restroom, slapping her and forcing her to have sex against her will. Under Spanish legal reforms that took effect in 2022, any sexual act without consent can be considered assault.

Alves, 40, initially denied even knowing the woman in an interview with a Spanish television station in January 2023. In his testimony during the trial, he admitted to having sexual relations with the woman but said it was consensual, and said that his initial denials were an attempt to save his marriage. But the judges said the evidence and the victim’s testimony proved that she had been raped.

Prosecutors sought a nine-year prison sentence for Alves if he was found guilty, while the victim’s lawyers wanted 12 years. According to the Associated Press, prosecutors will decide whether to appeal Alves’s sentence, which is on the low end of the sentencing guidelines that were in place when the assault took place. The punishment for a sexual-assault conviction has since been increased to six to 12 years in prison.

“Clearly [it does not compensate], but that is what the court decided,” said David Sáenz, a member of the victim’s legal team. “We have to examine the sentence to see if its contents are adequate for his acts.”

Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s deputy prime minister, said she hoped the verdict “serves as an exemplary measure for all the sexist behaviors that women suffer in all areas of our lives,” according to the AP.

At the time of the incident, Alves was playing for Mexican club Pumas after helping Spanish club Barcelona to three Champions League titles. He also has played for Sevilla, Juventus and Paris St. Germain and was part of three World Cup teams for Brazil. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Alves became the oldest player to ever see the field in a World Cup match for Brazil.