Catalonia Court Overturns Dani Alves' Conviction

The Catalonia high court overturned soccer player Dani Alves' conviction for sexual assault, citing inconsistencies in the original ruling. Alves, initially sentenced to 4.5 years for an assault at a Barcelona nightclub, was out on bail. Travel restrictions have been lifted, but the decision is open to Supreme Court appeal.

The Catalonia high court has overturned the conviction of Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves for sexual assault, citing "inconsistencies and contradictions" in the original ruling. The case involved an alleged incident in 2022 at a Barcelona nightclub, where Alves was accused of raping a woman.

In February last year, Alves was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. However, the court found that the testimony of the alleged victim lacked reliability, particularly on facts that could be objectively verified through video recordings, casting doubt on the initial conviction.

Alves had been released on a €1 million bail pending the appeal and is now free to travel as all restrictions have been lifted. The decision can still be appealed to Spain's Supreme Court. Both legal teams were unavailable for immediate comment.

(With inputs from agencies.)