On Wednesday, Brazil will decide if Robinho, the former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker, will serve his nine-year prison sentence, given by an Italian court, in his home country South America.
Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) will review the Italian request to approve the prison term that was given in 2017 and confirmed in 2022.
In an interview with Brazilian TV Record on Sunday, Robinho expressed his hope to be heard in Brazil, as he had been unable to in Italy. He has been maintaining his innocence.
Robson de Souza, also known as “Robinho”, is still free even though he was found guilty of being involved in the gang rape of a young Albanian woman at a Milan nightclub in 2013 along with five other men.
During the time of the incident, former Brazil international Robinho was playing for AC Milan.
After Italy’s highest court upheld his sentence, international arrest warrant was issued by Italian prosecutors.
Brazil, however, does not send its citizens abroad for trial, so Italy requested that Robinho serve his sentence in Brazil instead.
Accusing the Italian justice system of “racism”, Robinho made these statements on Sunday.
Robinho told TV Record, “It was consensual. I never denied it. I could have denied it because my DNA was not there, but I’m not a liar.
“I played for four years in Italy and I got tired of seeing stories about racism. The same people who do nothing about racism, which I repudiate, are the ones who condemned me.”
If the decision goes against him, the 40-year-old may still remain free while waiting for an appeal to Brazil’s Supreme Court.
Brazil president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has expressed his wish that Robinho can “serve” the sentence in Brazil.
– ‘Unprecedented case’ –
According to Brazilian media, judges are expected to approve Italy’s request.
“Approval is not common, because the law that allows it is relatively recent. It would be an unprecedented case in Brazil,” lawyer Leonardo Pantaleao told AFP.
Meanwhile, Robinho’s case and that of former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain defender Dani Alves have sparked criticism over the failure of football authorities in Brazil to condemn violence against women.
In February, former Brazil international full-back Alves, 40, received a four-and-a-half-year jail term for raping a woman in a nightclub in Barcelona.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the player’s former clubs, and former teammates stayed silent on the case.
Former Brazil coach Tite said he couldn't “make a judgement without having all the facts and truthful information” about the case.
For Robinho, it has been a significant downfall.
Robinho, who started his career at Santos, a team made famous by Brazil great Pele, was once seen as the next big star after the golden era of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho.
In 2005, Robinho left Santos to join Zinedine Zidane, international teammate Ronaldo, and David Beckham at Real Madrid.
Even though he played for big teams in Europe and won two Confederations Cups in 2005 and 2009, and a Copa America in 2007, Robinho only displayed his talent occasionally.
– Previous accusations –
In 2009, he was briefly held in England for a supposed sexual attack on a young woman, but the accusations were dismissed after an inquiry.
He came back to Santos in 2020 but the club halted the agreement after pressure from fans, sponsors and the media, resulting in the sudden end of his career.
Recently, a Spanish court found former Barcelona and ex-Brazilian footballer Dani Alves guilty of assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub.
Alves, who was one of the most honored footballers in history, was given a prison term of four years and six months. https://punchng.com/breaking-ex-barcelona-star-dani-alves-sentenced-to-four-years-in-jail/
He was also instructed to give the victim €150,000.
The 40-year-old had refused to admit to sexually attacking the woman on December 31, 2022.
Brazil’s justice system on Wednesday will decide whether former Manchester City and Real Madrid striker Robinho will serve his nine-year rape sentence, given by an Italian court, in the South American country. Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) will examine the Italian request to approve the prison sentence that was imposed in 2017 and […]
