Brazilian judges have ruled to uphold former AC Milan and Brazil striker Robinho’s rape conviction, stating that he must serve his nine-year prison sentence in Brazil. The trial in Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) had a majority deciding that Italy’s ruling was valid in Brazil. In 2017, a Milan court found Robinho and five other Brazilians guilty of gang-raping a woman in 2013 after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. This conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020 and validated by Italy’s Supreme Court in 2022. Despite living in Brazil, Robinho has consistently denied the charges.
Brazil does not typically extradite its citizens, so Italy had requested that Robinho serve his sentence in his home country. Robinho’s lawyer, Jose Eduardo Alckmin, expressed that his client is willing to comply with the judiciary and is open to a retrial in Brazil based on national sovereignty grounds. A judge in the case, Francisco Falcao, stated that Robinho should serve his sentence in Brazil to prevent diplomatic friction between Brazil and Italy. The court also ruled that Santos authorities would determine when and how Robinho would be jailed.
In response to the ruling, Robinho maintained his innocence and blamed racism for his conviction in Italy. He suggested that the same people who did not address racism were the ones who sentenced him. Federal prosecutor Hindemburgo Chateaubriand brought up some audio recordings where Robinho discussed the case with friends, including violent language towards the victim. One of the excerpts had Robinho saying, “We will punch her in her face,” and another indicated his indifference towards the situation.
Robinho, who resides in Santos, outside Sao Paulo, has since given up his passport to Brazilian authorities. He refused any wrongdoing and insisted that his sexual relations with the woman in Milan were consensual. Despite these claims, the court decided that Robinho must serve his sentence in Brazil based on the validity of the Italian court’s ruling. While one judge, Raul Araujo, dissented, the majority upheld the decision and emphasized the need for accountability.
Robinho’s rise to fame in Brazilian football began in 2002 as an 18-year-old leading Santos to its first national title since Pele’s era. He continued to achieve success in Brazilian football, becoming a prolific goal scorer. However, his reputation has been marred by the rape conviction in Italy, which has led to legal proceedings in Brazil. The court’s decision to uphold the Italian ruling and compel Robinho to serve his prison sentence in Brazil reflects the importance of justice and accountability in cases of sexual assault.
