Ex-Barcelona Star Dani Alves Has Rape Conviction Overturned

A Spanish appeals court overturned Friday former Brazil international footballer Dani Alves' rape conviction, citing insufficient evidence. Alves was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail in February last year for raping a young woman in the VIP bathroom of a Barcelona nightclub on December 31, 2022. The 41-year-old, who won the Champions League three-times with Barcelona, was released from jail last March pending his appeal after he posted the one million euros ($1.1million) bail set by the court. The Barcelona-based appeals court said its four judges had "unanimously" accepted the player's appeal and "annulled" his conviction, saying there was "insufficient evidence" to prove he was guilty.

His trial contained "a series of gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and contradictions regarding the facts, the legal assessment, and its consequences," the court said in its ruling.

Alves' accuser was an "unreliable complainant" since her testimony "differed notably" from evidence of video footage taken before she and Alves entered the bathroom where she alleges the player forced her to have sex without her consent.

The ruling can still be appealed to the Supreme Court.

"We are very happy. He is innocent, that is demonstrated. Justice has spoken," the player's lawyer Ines Guardiola told RAC1 radio.

But the plaintiff's lawyer, Ester Garcia, said her client felt "like she had returned to the bathroom where the events took place."

"Legally, we will have to appeal this decision, but we will also take into account the emotional state of our client. It has been two years of hell for her."

'Question women's word'

Equality Minister Ana Redondo said the judiciary needed to "reflect" on how it handled rape cases in the wake of the