Robinho, an ex-Brazilian international footballer, was arrested in his hometown of Santos and will begin serving a nine-year term for his 2017 sexual assault conviction – but is it all due to racism?
He received nearly a decade-long sentence in 2013, while playing for AC Milan in Italy. Fortunately for him, Brazil prohibits extradition of its people. As a result, Italy ruled that Robinho, who previously played for Manchester City, should spend his sentence in Brazil, according to the Independent.
While his hearings were ongoing, Robinho fled the country, avoiding arrest and denying any involvement.
On Thursday night, law enforcement officers detained the former singer at his Santos apartment, a day after Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice backed the Italian court’s verdict.
However, Robinho says that the sentence is the product of racism in Italy.
In a recent interview with Record TV, I stated: “I was wrongfully convicted in Italy for something that did not happen, and I have all of the documentation to prove it. I played in Italy for four years and became tired of hearing racist stories.
“Unfortunately, it occurs today. That happened in 2013, and now we’re in 2024, which leads me to believe that the same people who do nothing to combat racism are the ones who condemned me during my trial.”
