Italy Issues International Arrest Warrant For Brazilian Footballer; Robinho

Italy’s Justice Ministry has issued an international arrest warrant for former AC Milan and Brazil striker Robinho after the country’s top court confirmed his conviction for rape, a ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

Soccer-Italy issues international arrest warrant for Brazilian Robinho

The ministry has asked the global police agency Interpol to enact the warrant.

Robinho, whose full name is Robson de Souza, lives in Brazil. The South American country does not extradite its nationals, which means Robinho would only face arrest if he traveled abroad.

Robinho was involved in the gang rape of a woman on her 23rd birthday at a Milan nightclub in 2013.

The forward and five others were found guilty in 2017 and his conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020.

In January the Supreme Court in Rome upheld the previous ruling sentencing the ex-Man City talent to nine years in jail.

The conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020 and validated by Italy’s Supreme Court last month. The Supreme Court’s ruling cannot be challenged and is definitive.

Robinho, 38, has always denied the charge. But at the previous appeal, Robinho did admit to having ‘contact’ with the woman, but called it ‘consensual’.

He claimed after he left, his friends also had consensual sexual intercourse with the woman – while adding he can’t speak for them.

Key evidence used to convict the former Real Madrid star involved intercepted phone calls between Robinho and his friends.