Dani Alves Cleared in Appeal: Spanish Court Overturns Rape Conviction

In a significant legal turnaround, former Brazilian and Barcelona football star Dani Alves has won his appeal against a rape conviction, with a Spanish court overturning the original ruling. Alves had been convicted in February 2024 and sentenced to four and a half years in prison for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub bathroom in December 2022. Throughout the proceedings, Alves maintained that the encounter was consensual. Following his arrest in January 2023, he was held in custody until March 2024, when he was released on bail after paying €1.1 million while awaiting the appeal outcome.

The High Court of Justice of Catalonia unanimously reversed the conviction on the basis of insufficient evidence, stating that the presumption of innocence should not have been dismissed. The court’s ruling emphasized that the complainant’s account did not align with the available video footage and therefore could not be considered credible enough to uphold the conviction. However, the judges clarified that this reversal does not necessarily validate Alves’ version of events as factual but rather highlights the lack of conclusive proof required to support the original judgment. The case may still be brought before Spain’s Supreme Court.

Alves' lawyer, Inés Guardiola, declared her client’s satisfaction with the verdict, telling Spanish media that "justice has spoken" and reaffirming Alves' innocence. Last year, Alves had also been ordered to pay €150,000 in damages to the woman. Known as one of football’s most decorated players, Alves boasts a storied career with titles in Spain, Italy, and France, including three Champions League trophies with Barcelona, two Copa América wins, and an Olympic gold medal for Brazil.