Robinho’s Italian Gang Rape sentence must be served in Brazil, the court rules

Judges in Brasilia decided on Wednesday that former striker Robinho of Manchester City and Real Madrid must serve his nine-year sentence for rape, which was imposed on him by an Italian court, in Brazil.

Robinho was found guilty of participating in the gang rape of an Albanian lady celebrating her 23rd birthday at a Milan nightclub in 2013. The court ruled by nine votes to two in favor of an Italian request that Robinho be imprisoned in his own country.

It also decreed that the punishment must start “immediately.”

Reporters were informed by Robinho’s attorney, Jose Alckmin, that he would try to keep his client out of prison while they filed an appeal.

“Robinho,” also known as Robson de Souza, was not present for the ruling on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old former Brazil international was found guilty of the crime four years earlier, when he was a player for AC Milan, in 2017 by an Italian court.

Italian prosecutors sought an international arrest request for him after he lost in the Milan Court of Appeal in 2020 and had his conviction maintained by Italy’s highest court in 2022.

However, Italy requested that Robinho be forced to serve his sentence in his own country since Brazil does not extradite its citizens.

In an interview that aired on Sunday, the football player, who maintains his innocence, said that the intercourse had been “consensual.”

“I never downplayed the interaction. I’m not a liar, but I might have denied it since my DNA was missing.

In addition, he charged that the Italian legal system was “racist.”

The young lady was allegedly forced to drink by Robinho and his co-accused “to the point of rendering her unconscious and unable to resist,” after which they engaged in “sexual relations several times in a row” with her.

The Milan court said that Robinho had behaved with “special contempt for the victim, who was brutally humiliated” in its reasons for maintaining the first verdict, which it published in March 2021.

Critics point to Robinho’s case as well as that of former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain defender Dani Alves for the Brazilian football authorities’ unwillingness to denounce violence against women.

The 40-year-old former Brazil international full-back Alves was given a four-and-a-half year jail term in February for raping a woman at a Barcelona nightclub.

He was ordered to remain in custody pending an appeal by a Spanish judge on Wednesday. The bail of one million euros was criticized by the victim’s attorney as “justice for the rich.”

“Totally inebriated”

Robinho’s decline has been rather noticeable.

As the next great player to follow in the footsteps of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, Robinho started his career in 2002 with Santos, the team made famous by Pele, the legendary Brazilian football player.

He joined David Beckham, Ronaldo, and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid in 2005.

After that, he played for Milan for four years until 2014 and Manchester City from 2008 to 2010.

He was temporarily arrested in England in 2009 on suspicion of sexually assaulting a young lady, but the accusations were later dismissed after an inquiry.

His career ended abruptly when the club blocked his attempt to return to Santos in 2020 due to pressure from sponsors and supporters.

Robinho is said to have remarked, “I’m laughing because I don’t care,” in a tape that Italian prosecutors used to get their conviction, which was excerpted and made public around the same time by TV station Globo Sports. She was utterly inebriated. She is completely unaware of what transpired.

Robinho has scored 28 goals for his nation, Brazil, in his 100 appearances.

He also played for Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey, Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, and Guangzhou Evergrande in China.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil expressed his wish that Robinho may complete his sentence at home.