Former Brazil footballer Dani Alves is set to spend the weekend in prison after failing to come up with the €1 million ($1.08m) bail payment required for his conditional release as he awaits the result of an appeal to his rape conviction. Alves was granted bail on Wednesday after receiving a 4½-year sentence but has been unable to secure the necessary funds for his release.
Despite efforts from his legal team to explore various avenues to raise the bail amount, including freeing up assets and requesting money owed to him by the Spanish Tax Agency, Alves has not been able to meet the deadline for the third consecutive day. The payment cannot be made over the weekend, with hopes to have the funds ready by Monday or Tuesday.
As part of the conditions for his release, Alves must surrender his Brazilian and Spanish passports, post bail, and is prohibited from leaving the country. He is also required to stay at least 1,000 meters away from the victim and make weekly check-ins at the courthouse.
The decision to grant Alves bail pending the appeal has sparked controversy, with the victim's lawyer criticizing it as a 'scandalous' ruling. All parties involved have been given three days to appeal the decision made on Wednesday.
Alves was convicted of sexual assault in February and has already served 14 months of his sentence. His former teammate Neymar and his father have declined to assist with the bail payment. The football community has been reflecting on the importance of setting a positive example, with Brazil full-back Danilo emphasizing the responsibility of athletes to influence positively both on and off the field.
Alves' case, along with that of Robinho who recently began serving a nine-year prison sentence for rape, has prompted discussions about the role of athletes in society and the need for greater awareness and empathy towards issues of gender-based violence.
