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Spain court bails convicted rapist Dani Alves

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Former Brazil international Dani Alves is to be released from jail pending an appeal against his rape conviction in a one-million-euro bail agreement denounced by the victim’s lawyer as “justice for the rich”.

Wednesday’s ruling came a day after his lawyer requested the 40-year-old’s release on the grounds that he had already served a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year sentence in pre-trial detention following his arrest in January 2023.

In its ruling, the Barcelona court granted him “provisional release” in exchange for “the bail payment of 1,000,000 euros” ($1.08 million), also requiring that he hand over his Spanish and Brazilian passports, remain in Spain and present himself to court “on a weekly basis”.

But the decision drew a furious response from the lawyer of the young woman who was raped by Alves at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022.

“This sends the message that there is justice for the rich, and even if there is a conviction if you pay bail there are no criminal consequences,” she told reporters, pledging to appeal on grounds it was “not in line with the law”.

“This is a very dangerous message for society,” she added, saying her client was “very outraged, very despondent and very frustrated”.

One of the world’s most decorated footballers who played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Alves was convicted last month of raping the young woman in the VIP bathroom of Sutton nightclub in the early hours of December 31, 2022.

His lawyers swiftly appealed the conviction.

The court’s decision on Wednesday also bars him from “coming within 1,000 metres (yards) of the plaintiff, her home, her workplace and whatever other place that she is, as well as making any attempt to communicate with her”.

– ‘Patriarchal justice system’ –
The decision was also swiftly denounced by the radical left-wing Sumar alliance, which is part of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s leftist coalition.

“Dani Alves can wait at home for his definitive sentencing for RAPE because he has a million euros. The justice system is patriarchal and classist. Enough is enough,” the party wrote on its X account.

TV crews gathered outside of the Brians 2 prison northwest of Barcelona where Alves is being held to capture the moment of his release.

But Spanish media reported the player was not able to deposit the bail amount before the court’s treasury closed for the day, so he will likely only be released on Thursday.

Since his arrest 14 months ago, Alves’ legal team has repeatedly asked for his release on bail but the request was always rejected by the court on grounds he was a flight risk.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Alves — who spoke by videoconference from prison — promised the judges he would not flee, with public prosecutors again opposing the request on grounds he posed a high flight risk.

Brazil does not extradite its citizens when they are sentenced in other countries.

The victim, who testified behind a screen to protect her identity, said Alves had violently forced her to have sex in a private bathroom of the nightclub despite begging him to let her go, causing her “anguish and terror”, prosecutors said.

Alves’ lawyers had argued the victim had been “glued” to the player while dancing at the nightclub, saying there was “sexual tension” between them.

But in its 61-page decision, the court said that did not mean “that she consented to anything that might have subsequently happened”.

 

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Super Eagles Captain Ahmed Musa Signs Endorsement Deal With Top Bank

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Super Eagles Captain Ahmed Musa Signs Endorsement Deal With Top Bank

In a groundbreaking development, Nigerian football sensation Ahmed Musa has formally joined forces with Jaiz Bank, a pioneering non-interest financial institution.

This momentous partnership was sealed during Musa’s visit to Jaiz Bank’s headquarters in Abuja, where he was warmly welcomed as the bank’s newest ambassador.

In a Facebook post by By Abdul A Kaugama, Musa’s affiliation with Jaiz Bank is a testament to his astute financial acumen and commitment to promoting ethical finance. As a long-standing customer of the bank, he has experienced firsthand the benefits of Jaiz Bank’s innovative, non-interest-based financial solutions.

By partnering with Jaiz Bank, Musa aims to inspire his multitude of fans to adopt a more prudent and Shariah-compliant approach to financial management.

“I am ecstatic to announce my ambassadorship with Jaiz Bank,” Musa exclaimed. “This esteemed institution shares my passion for empowering individuals and communities through financial inclusion and education. I am honored to be part of this remarkable journey and look forward to collaborating with Jaiz Bank to make a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians.”

The synergy between Ahmed Musa and Jaiz Bank heralds a new era of financial empowerment and growth. As Musa embarks on this exciting partnership, his fans and well-wishers eagerly anticipate the innovative initiatives and projects that will emerge from this collaboration.

 

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AFCON: More Controversy As Libya Accused Super Eagles Of Deliberate Lost To Rwanda

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AFCON: More Controversy As Libya Accused Super Eagles Of Deliberate Lost To Rwanda

Libya have accused the Super Eagles of throwing their final home game against Rwanda in a 2025 AFCON qualifier so that they will not qualify for the continental tournament next year.

Libya have stoked more fire in the growing enmity between them and Nigeria after CAF last month awarded a botched AFCON qualifier to the Super Eagles.

Libya Akhbar newspaper reported that the Super Eagles 2-1 loss to Rwanda in Uyo left a lot of questions.

“On the other side of the group, Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat to Rwanda on home ground added more controversy, especially since the result raised doubts about Nigeria’s intentions in this encounter,” the Libyan newspaper reported.

“The match between Nigeria and Rwanda was a shock to the Libyan fans.

“The fans expected a comfortable win for Nigeria, which would have kept Libya’s hopes alive if they defeated Benin. However, the scenario was contrary to expectations.

“Nigeria’s one-goal lead turned into a two-goal loss, as if the Green Eagles had abandoned their competitive spirit.

“The scene raised many questions in sports circles: Did Nigeria deliberately lose to eliminate Libya?”

However, Libya also failed to beat Benin at home to end any hopes to qualifying for the 2025 AFCON.

They face more sanctions after Benin complained that they were attacked after the scoreless draw in Tripoli Tuesday night.

 

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‘We’ll Crush Super Eagles To 2026 World Cup Ticket’ – South Africa Coach Vows

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South African Coach Confident Of Beating Nigeria to 2026 World Cup ticket

South Africa’s head coach, Hugo Broos, is optimistic about his side’s chances of securing the 2026 World Cup ticket ahead of Nigeria and other contenders in Group C, as reported by Soccernet.

The Bafana Bafana currently sit second in Group C with seven points, trailing leaders Rwanda only on goal difference.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Super Eagles sit in a disappointing fifth place with three points, four behind South Africa, with six games left in the qualifying series.

Broos, whose side topped Group K in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers for Morocco 2025, believes South Africa’s recent form gives them the edge.

Reflecting on their progress, he remarked: “It doesn’t mean that we have to now think that we are where we have to be. No. But little by little we are becoming a very good team.”

He continued: “That will give us the confidence that we need for the next thing we have to do, which is qualify for the World Cup.Nigerian football souvenirs

“But I’m confident that we can do it. I think, if SA can qualify for the World Cup it is now because we have quality; we have a good team. We can do it. But we still have to do it.”

South Africa’s Bafana have not lost a match since their semifinal exit against Nigeria at the Cote d’Ivoire 2023 AFCON.

In their last World Cup qualifier, they drew 1-1 with Nigeria in Uyo, a game where they nearly claimed all three points.

Broos plans to capitalise on South Africa’s AFCON momentum to navigate the World Cup qualifiers.

The coach expects to collect maximum points in their next matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, believing this will secure their ticket.

For Nigeria, the road ahead is challenging. The Super Eagles must win all their remaining fixtures while relying on other teams in the group to disrupt South Africa’s campaign.

The qualifiers resume in March 2025, with South Africa hosting Lesotho and Nigeria traveling to Rwanda.

 

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