Dani Alves Acquitted: Spanish Court Overturns Rape Conviction Due to Insufficient Evidence

Former Barcelona and Brazil football star Dani Alves has been acquitted of a rape conviction after serving more than a year in prison, with a Spanish court unanimously overturning the ruling due to insufficient evidence. The High Court of Justice of Catalonia found contradictions and inconsistencies in the accuser’s testimony, noting it did not align with video evidence. While Alves was initially sentenced to four and a half years in prison in February 2024 for an alleged sexual assault in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year’s Eve 2022, the appeals court ruled that the presumption of innocence had not been sufficiently rebutted.

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Alves, who had always maintained that the encounter was consensual, expressed satisfaction with the verdict through his lawyer. The court emphasized that its decision was based on the lack of convincing evidence rather than affirming the defense’s version as absolute truth. Although the acquittal lifts all restrictions on Alves, including travel bans, prosecutors have indicated they may still appeal to Spain’s Supreme Court.

During the legal ordeal, Alves faced tremendous personal and professional losses, including public scrutiny, damage to his reputation, loss of millions in aborted contracts, and strained family relationships. The case has sparked debate in Spain on issues of consent and justice, especially against the backdrop of recent legislative reforms on sexual crimes. The accuser has not faced legal consequences following the acquittal.