Neymar Sr. Refuses to Pay Bail for Former Teammate Dani Alves Amid Rape Appeal
The father of Brazilian soccer star Neymar, Neymar da Silva Santos Sr., has announced that his family will not be paying the required million euros ($1.1 million) to bail out their former teammate Dani Alves. Alves, a former Brazilian defender, is currently in a Spanish prison awaiting the outcome of an appeal against a rape conviction.
In a statement, Neymar Sr. revealed that while his family did support Alves financially during his trial, they will not be doing so again after the court found Alves guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in 2022. The court sentenced Alves to four years and six months in prison, and he is currently being held in a prison on the outskirts of Barcelona.
The decision not to provide financial support for Alves comes after the three-judge chamber of the Barcelona Provincial Court ruled against him. Neymar Sr. emphasized that the matter is now closed for their family, stating, “For us, for my family, this matter is over. Full stop.”
Alves, who has denied any wrongdoing in the case, remains in custody since his arrest in January 2023. Previous requests for bail were denied due to concerns that he may flee. As a condition of bail, he would have to surrender his passports and remain in Spain, where he has a residence near Barcelona.
Despite the high-profile nature of the case, the Brazilian Football Confederation has not issued a statement on Alves’ situation. The head of the delegation representing Brazil also acknowledged that the issue is being ignored at this time.
The case of Dani Alves has drawn parallels to another high-profile rape conviction involving former player Robinho in Italy. Robinho, who also played for the Brazilian national team, will serve his sentence in Brazil following a recent court decision.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil criticized the Spanish court’s decision to grant bail to Alves, emphasizing the importance of justice and dignity in the face of such crimes. Both Alves and Robinho are known supporters of Lula’s political predecessor, former president Jair Bolsonaro.