Dani Alves Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Assault

A Barcelona court found former Brazilian footballer Dani Alves guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub in 2022 and sentenced him to 4 and a half years in prison. The court also ordered Alves to pay the victim 150,000 euros in compensation.

The court based its decision on the testimony of the victim, along with other evidence including a knee injury she sustained during the assault and Alves’ behavior after the incident. The victim’s legal team expressed satisfaction with the verdict, while Alves’ lawyer said they would appeal.

Alves was arrested in January 2023 after the woman accused him of sexual assault in a Barcelona nightclub bathroom on New Year’s Eve 2022. He had been held in pretrial detention ever since, with requests for bail denied due to flight risk.

The trial lasted three days, with Alves changing his story about the events multiple times. Initially, he claimed not to know the woman. Then, he said they met in the bathroom but nothing happened. When confronted with biological evidence, he changed his story again, saying she performed oral sex on him consensually.

Later, after further tests, Alves admitted to having sex with the woman but insisted it was consensual. He claimed he lied to hide his infidelity from his wife. He also said for the first time that he was intoxicated that night.

The victim recounted that she entered the bathroom willingly after dancing with Alves, but he would not let her leave when she wanted to. She said he assaulted her after slapping and insulting her. Alves denied these accusations.

The woman’s friends and relatives testified that she was distraught after leaving the bathroom, and police officers who responded to the scene confirmed she was shaken and reported the sexual assault.

An expert witness for the defense disputed the prosecution’s claim that the victim suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

This case is the first high-profile conviction for sexual assault under Spain’s new “only yes means yes” law, which defines consent as an explicit expression of willingness. The law was passed in 2022 in response to public outcry over a gang rape case.

Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz said she hoped the verdict would serve as a deterrent against sexist behavior. Irene Montero, a champion of the “only yes means yes” law, also praised the ruling.

Alves is a decorated footballer who has won numerous titles with prestigious clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain. He is also a two-time Copa América champion and Olympic gold medalist with Brazil. He recently participated in his third World Cup and briefly returned to Barcelona before his arrest in Mexico, where his contract was terminated.