Former Barcelona star and Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves had his rape conviction overturned on appeal by a court in Spain’s Catalonia region on Friday, the latest twist in a high-profile case stemming from an alleged incident in a nightclub on New Year’s Eve more than two years ago.
The ruling was levied by Catalon’s top court, according to Reuters, due to ‘inadequacies of the evidence’ that did not meet the standard required by the presumption of innocence. The court also noted ‘a series of gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies and contradictions concerning the facts, the legal assessment and its consequences.’
Alves, 41, had been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in the bathroom of a Barcelona, Spain night club last year and was sentenced to four-and-a-half-years in prison. The court instead concluded Friday the alleged victim ‘voluntarily went to the bathroom area for the purpose of being with the defendant in a more intimate space,’ according to Reuters.
Alves was released from prison in March 2024 on 1 million Euro (about $1 million) bail while awaiting a decision in his appeals case, but had to surrender his Brazil and Spain passports. He had been imprisoned since January 2023. Friday’s ruling lifted all travel restrictions against Alves and a restraining order that had been put in place in relation to the alleged victim. The case can still be appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court.
Alves is regarded as one of the most decorated fullbacks in international soccer history, most notably due to his eight-year tenure with Barcelona and 126 appearances with the Brazilian national team. He helped Barcelona clinch five La Liga titles, two UEFA Champions League titles, and three Supercopa de Espana titles and won two World Cups with Brazil.
Alves last played professionally with Pumas UNAM in Liga MX in Mexico during the 2022-23 season. His contract with the club was terminated after his arrest in Spain more than two years ago.