“I am not that type of man; I am not a violent man”
Former Brazil international Dani Alves has refuted allegations of rape involving a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub. Alves is presently undergoing trial following accusations of sexually assaulting a girl in a bathroom at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona, specifically on the night of December 30th to 31st, 2022.
Having heard testimonies from the alleged victim, witnesses, and experts over a period of two days, Alves addressed the Spanish court to assert that the encounter in question was consensual.
Alves denied any claims of hitting the woman or forcefully grabbing her hair.
In response to his defense lawyer, Alves stated that he did not force the woman to engage in sexual relations.
According to the alleged victim’s statements to state prosecutors, she mentioned that she had danced with Alves and voluntarily went into the bathroom. However, she claimed that when she wanted to leave, he prevented her from doing so. She further stated that he slapped her, insulted her, and coerced her into engaging in sexual relations against her will.
‘She never told me to stop. We were both enjoying ourselves,’
Alves maintained that the woman never expressed a desire to leave or gave any indication that she did not consent to engage in sexual relations with him.
Since January 20, 2023, Dani Alves has been held in pre-trial detention. His requests for bail were rejected due to concerns that he might flee.
It is worth noting that Brazil does not extradite its citizens who have been convicted in other countries.
During the course of the investigation while in detention, Alves altered his defense, initially denying any sexual contact with the woman but later admitting to consensual sexual encounters.Alves initially claimed that he didn’t admit to the encounter to protect his marriage.
He was instructed to set aside 150,000 euros in case he is found guilty and ordered to pay damages.
Alves achieved numerous titles with top clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain.
He helped Brazil win two Copa Americas and an Olympic gold medal at the age of 38. In 2022, he competed in his third World Cup, the only major trophy he hasn’t won.
Alves played for Barcelona from 2008 to 2016 and briefly returned in 2022. He still has a home near the city.
After his detention, his contract with the Mexican team Pumas was terminated.