Former Real Madrid and Manchester City striker, Robinho has been sentenced to nine years in prison for rape in 2013.

was part of a group that gang-raped a 23-year-old Albanian woman at the Sio Cafe nightclub and was originally sentenced in 2017, but his appeal process with the Italian courts have been ongoing ever since.

The Court of Cassation in Rome rejected an appeal from the former Brazil international and Ricardo Falco, a friend of the former player, relating to the incident, which occurred in 2013.

The latest decision from the court in Rome is a final sentence with no room for further appeals with the sentence to begin immediately.

With the conviction, the Italian justice system can request the extradition of both Robinho and Falco, although the Brazilian constitution vetoes the extradition of Brazilians.

Due to this situation, Italy will be able to request that both men serve their sentences in a Brazilian jail. Robinho, 37, is currently without a club after Santos ripped up his six-year contract in 2020 after one of the club’s official sponsors made reference to the player’s case.

Brazilian firm Orthopride said it had severed ties with Santos “out of respect for women” following the signing of Robinho.

Source: Lailas