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Former Manchester City and AC Milan footballer Robinho has been mandated by a Brazilian court to serve a nine-year prison sentence for his involvement in a group sexual assault in 2013. The decision comes after an Italian court sentenced him to the same prison term in 2017 for the same crime.
Due to Brazil’s policy of not extraditing its nationals, Italy sought Robinho’s imprisonment in his home country. The Brazilian Superior Court of Justice voted 9-2 to uphold Robinho’s conviction, ruling that he must serve the sentence in Brazil.
Robinho, 40, rose to fame in England with Manchester City in 2008, following a £32.5m transfer on the same day the club was bought by an investment company led by Abu Dhabi crown prince Sheikh Mansour. He later moved to AC Milan.
His lawyer, Jose Eduardo Alckmin, stated at Wednesday’s hearing that Robinho sought a retrial in Brazil based on grounds of national sovereignty. However, the court dismissed this request, emphasizing that the former player must face the consequences of his actions.
The first judge to vote, Francisco Falcao, stressed that Robinho should not go unpunished and warned of potential diplomatic tensions between Brazil and Italy if the sentence is not carried out. Robinho retains the option to appeal to Brazil’s Supreme Court.
