Italian police have issued a global arrest warrant against former Real Madrid player Robinho following his conviction for gang rape. Prosecutors have asked for Robinho’s extradition from Brazil to Italy so that he can serve his nine-year sentence.
Robinho was convicted of gang-raping a young woman in a Milan nightclub in 2013, and the 38-year-old’s sentence was upheld by an appeals court in 2020.
Media reports noted that Brazil’s constitution bans the extradition of its citizens. For Italian authorities, however, the international warrant means Robinho could be at risk of arrest if he leaves Brazil.
Jacopo Gnocchi, the lawyer of Robinho’s victim, told AFP that it makes no difference to his client whether Robinho served his sentence in Italy or Brazil.
“The main thing is he serves it, particularly for the crime committed, to protect women,” he stated.
Robinho began his career at Brazilian giants Santos before joining Real Madrid for a transfer fee of roughly €30 million in 2005. After three years at the Santiago Bernabeu, he signed with Manchester City.
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In addition to AC Milan, he also played for Guangzhou Evergrande in China, Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, and Istanbul Basaksehir in Turkey. Robinho was forced to abandon a return to his first club Santos in October 2020 due to sponsorship pressure on the Brazilian giants after news emerged of his involvement in a sexual assault case.
Robinho was convicted of sexually assaulting a young woman in an Italian bar in 2017, according to Sports Brief. The former Brazil international was found guilty along with a group of friends who had all been accused of the same crime.
Brazilian football legend Pele once described Robinho as “the future of football,” but the former AC Milan and Real Madrid wonderboy now faces nine years in prison following an intermittently exciting but ultimately underwhelming career at the elite level.
