BrazilAccording to 40-year-old Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo, two former teammates Dani Alves and Robinho deserve prison sentences for the rape scandal.
“I have a 15 year old daughter. If they did that to my daughter, I don't think I would be here giving this interview,” Melo told Globo Sporte. “I believe we have to respect other people, women, men.”
Melo in Fluminense shirt. Image: Reuters
On February 22, Alves was sentenced by the Barcelona court to 2 years and 4 months in prison for raping a 6-year-old woman at a nightclub in Barcelona at the end of 23. In addition, the former Barca and PSG defender is also under legal supervision. An additional 2022 years will be imposed as well as a ban on contact with the victim for 5 years and 9 months.
Like Alves, former Real Madrid and AC Milan striker Robinho was also convicted of rape in an incident in Italy, but will serve a 9-year sentence in Brazil according to the court's decision on March 20. In 3, Robinho was convicted of participating in the gang rape of an Albanian woman at a nightclub in Milan in January 2017, and was arrested at his apartment in Santos last week.
“They must pay for what they did. And let it be a lesson for others not to do. This is very serious,” Melo added, and emphasized the importance of educating children so that the same thing does not happen in the future.
Melo is playing for Fluminense in Brazil, and played for Brazil in the period 2009-2010, appearing 22 times, with the team at the 2010 World Cup. At that time, Melo played for Juventus and was called up to the list of 23 players. Attended the World Cup with Alves and Robinho. Melo also plays for many clubs such as Flamengo, Fiorentina, Galatasaray or Inter Milan.
Melo (No. 5) with Dani Alves (No. 13) and Robinho (No. 11) in a situation of blocking Robben's dribble in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals. Photo: Reuters
In Alves' case, his bail request was met by the Spanish Court of Appeal on March 20. In addition to having to pay a bail of 3 million USD, the former Barca and PSG defender also had his passport confiscated, had to report to the police weekly, and was prohibited from contacting or traveling within 1,1 km of his person. denounce.
After that, former teammate at Barca, Memphis Depay, is said to have paid bail for Alves. But Depay's representative, Sebastien Ledure, denied this information. “This is fake news, completely untrue,” Ledure told Informativos Telecinco.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian Football Federation is causing controversy by not yet commenting on Alves' case. “Incidents like this are a slap in the face to all women, especially the case of Alves, who can pay for her freedom. Every case of not being punished is the seed for the next crime," Leila Pereira, female president of Brazilian club Palmeiras, said in London on March 22.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also criticized the Spanish court's move to release Alves on bail. “We cannot be silent in the face of these injustices. Money cannot buy dignity,” he said on March 20. “The money Alves obtained by borrowing from others cannot pay for the crime that a man committed against a woman by raping him.”
A few weeks before Robinho's trial at Brazil's supreme court, Lula said the former soccer player should serve his sentence in Brazil. Alves and Robinho were staunch supporters of Lula's predecessor, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Hong Duy
