Barcelona Star Dani Alves Acquitted of Rape Charge

Court Overturns Conviction Citing Inconsistencies

Former Brazilian football star Dani Alves has had his rape conviction overturned by Spain’s Catalonia High Court. The court ruled that the original verdict contained “inconsistencies and contradictions” in the evidence presented.

The 41-year-old former Barcelona defender was initially found guilty of sexual assault in February last year and sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Alves had consistently maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings.

Case Details and Court Ruling

The case stemmed from an incident at an upscale Barcelona nightclub on New Year’s Eve 2022, where Alves was accused of raping a woman in a bathroom.

In their Friday ruling, the appellate judges stated there was “insufficient evidence” to override Alves’ presumption of innocence. They noted significant discrepancies between the victim’s testimony and video evidence from before the alleged assault.

Legal Developments and Aftermath

Alves had been detained since January 2023 until his conditional release in March 2024 after posting €1 million (then £930,000) bail. Prosecutors had initially argued he posed a flight risk.

With the acquittal, all travel restrictions have been lifted, allowing the football veteran to leave Spain. However, the decision remains subject to appeal before Spain’s Supreme Court.

Broader Legal Context

This high-profile case was the first major test of Spain’s 2022 sexual consent law reforms, known as the “only yes means yes” legislation. The law explicitly defines consent as an affirmative expression of will, clarifying that silence or passivity don’t constitute consent.

The legal changes came in response to public outcry after the notorious 2016 Pamplona gang rape case during the San Fermin bull-running festival.