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Robinho: The Brazilian played 100 international matches and won the Copa America with Brazil in 2007
Photo: Marcelo Sayao / dpa
Robinho was found guilty years ago, but it is only now that the Brazilian footballer has to go to prison.
A Brazilian court ordered on Wednesday that the former soccer star convicted of taking part in a gang rape in Italy must begin his prison sentence in the South American country.
Robinho, whose real name is Robson de Souza, was sentenced to nine years in prison for the gang rape of a 23-year-old in Milan in 2013.
The decision became final at the beginning of 2022.
The former footballer, who had already been found guilty in absentia in 2017, was also not present at the hearing and verdict in Rome in 2022.
Since then, the Italian justice system had tried to have the ex-athlete, who had previously traveled to Brazil, extradited.
Brazilian authorities have always rejected this - Brazil does not usually extradite native citizens, the exception being serious drug offenses.
The Italians were only successful when they requested that Robinho begin his prison sentence in Brazil.
Robinho made 100 international appearances and won the Copa America with Brazil in 2007.
He became Brazilian champion with FC Santos, Spanish champion with Real Madrid and won the Scudetto in Italy with AC Milan.
He also won the title in Turkey (Basaksehir Istanbul) and China (Guangzhou Evergrande).
The fact that the 37-year-old moved back to Santos in Brazil in 2020 despite the verdict sparked strong criticism.
His contract was eventually terminated.
The decision to send Robinho to prison came on the same day as the spectacular turnaround in the Dani Alves case.
The player of the same age, who was also sentenced to four and a half years in prison for rape in Spain, was granted permission to leave prison on Wednesday on bail of one million euros.
It was initially not known whether and when Alves would be able to raise the required sum and thus be released.
Only recently did the media in Spain and Brazil report that the convicted man only had relatively little money.
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