Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has won his appeal against a rape conviction as a Spanish court overturned the ruling on Friday.
The 40-year-old former right-back was found guilty in February 2024 of assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year’s Eve in 2022 and was sentenced to four years, six months in prison.
He denied wrongdoing during the three-day trial. “I am innocent,” Alves said during the trial. “I have never had sexual relations without consent. I am a victim of a lie.”
He was released from prison in March 2024 while waiting for his appeal to be heard by a higher court. That court ruled on Friday that there was “insufficient evidence” to rule out Alves’ presumption of innocence.
The court’s decision was based on the lack of evidence and the inconsistencies in the testimony of the alleged victim.
“The court has taken into account the inconsistencies in the testimony of the alleged victim and the lack of evidence to support the accusation,” said a statement from the court.
Alves’ lawyer, Cristóbal Martell, welcomed the court’s decision. “We are satisfied with the court’s decision, which confirms our client’s innocence,” Martell said. “We will continue to work to clear Dani Alves’ name and reputation.”
Alves won dozens of titles with elite clubs including Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain. He also helped Brazil win two Copa Americas and an Olympic gold medal at the age of 38.
The Alves case was the first high-profile sex crime since Spain overhauled its legislation in 2022 to make consent, or the lack thereof, central to defining a sex crime in response to an upswell of protests after a gang-rape case during the San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona in 2016.
The case has sparked a heated debate about consent and sexual assault in Spain. Women’s rights groups have expressed disappointment with the court’s decision, saying that it sends a wrong message about consent and sexual assault.
“We are disappointed with the court’s decision, which we believe sends a wrong message about consent and sexual assault,” said a statement from the Spanish Women’s Association. “We will continue to work to raise awareness about consent and sexual assault and to support victims of sexual violence.”
The case has also sparked a debate about the treatment of high-profile defendants in Spain. Some have argued that Alves’ wealth and fame influenced the court’s decision, while others have argued that the court’s decision was based on the lack of evidence.
“Justice should be blind to wealth and fame,” said a statement from the Spanish Justice Ministry. “The court’s decision should be based on the evidence and the law, not on the defendant’s wealth or fame.”