Former Man City and AC Milan star Robinho, now faces a harsh reality as he grapples with a nine-year rape sentence in his native Brazil.
The recent ruling by a Brasilia court marks a significant chapter in the tumultuous saga surrounding the 2013 gang rape of a young woman, a crime for which Robinho was found guilty by an Italian court in 2017.
Robinho’s fall from grace has been swift and steep. Once a revered figure in the football world, the 40-year-old now confronts the consequences of his actions, as justice catches up with him despite his attempts to evade accountability.
His assertion of innocence, claiming the sexual encounter was consensual, stands in stark contrast to the legal verdicts rendered against him.
The case dates back to Robinho’s time playing for AC Milan, when he was implicated in the assault of a 22-year-old Albanian woman.
Despite his status as a prominent athlete, the Italian legal system did not exempt him from accountability.
Following his initial conviction in 2017 and subsequent unsuccessful appeals, including a denial by Italy’s highest court in 2022, Robinho’s legal troubles escalated with the issuance of an international arrest warrant.
However, the complexities of extradition laws and Brazil’s stance on extraditing its citizens presented a legal hurdle for authorities seeking to enforce the Italian court’s decision.
Robinho found refuge in his homeland, shielded from immediate prosecution by the legal intricacies of international law.
The recent ruling by the Brasilia court, ordering Robinho to serve his sentence in Brazil, represents a significant development in the case.
While the footballer remains free pending a potential appeal, the spectre of justice looms large over him.
