March 20, (THEWILL)- A Barcelona court ruling, on Wednesday, allowed Brazilian football legend Dani Alves to be released from prison on a conditional €1 million bail. Serving approximately a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year sentence for rape, Alves faces stringent conditions, including surrendering his Brazilian and Spanish passports to prevent fleeing Spain.
Additionally, he must report to court weekly and adhere to a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim. The controversial decision did not achieve complete judicial consensus, with one judge dissenting. Furthermore, appeals against granting Alves conditional release remain a possibility.
Alves’ case has generated global headlines after accusations of sexual assault were brought against the player for actions he engaged in while at a Barcelona nightclub. Despite vehemently denying wrongdoing initially, the former Barcelona star later admitted to the encounter after DNA evidence submission.
Widespread public outrage has erupted over what is perceived as potential leniency shown towards an elite athlete despite Spain’s strong stance against gender violence. Women’s rights groups decried setting a worrying precedent if such a conditional release materialises for a convicted rapist, who served only a short sentence.
Criticisms have so far verged on the reasoning that wealthy celebrities receive preferential treatment, undermining the moral fabric of society. Football’s international governing bodies face pressure to take definitive action against players idolised by millions worldwide.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
