Joana Sanz has reacted to the news of Dani Alves' acquittal.
Former Barcelona star Dani Alves was acquitted of rape charges by the Catalan High Court, reversing his initial conviction.
After his verdict was reportedly overturned days ago, his wife Joana Sanz, is making it clear she’s had her own battle over the past two years.
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09:11 - 18.04.2024
Dani Alves: Disgraced footballer and his estranged wife Joana Sanz go shopping in Spain months after threatening to divorce him
Months after denouncing the footballer who was convicted of rape, the Canarian model appears to have forgive her husband, pending the final outcome of his messy court case.
Joana Sanz breaks her silence
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Following the court’s decision, Sanz, 32, took to Instagram to express her frustration, revealing the intense scrutiny and harassment she has faced since the allegations against Alves first surfaced.
“They pointed fingers at me, insulted me, threatened me, and persecuted me for two years. As if I were the one in the dock,” she captioned a selfie on her Instagram story.
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“Despite so much media/public damage, I am still standing, without missing a job as so many wished would happen, faithful to my beliefs and defending what I think without being poisoned by others.
“I invite you to stop unloading your hatred on people you don't know at all, to educate yourselves, so you don't have to bite your tongue, which sometimes poisons you..” she said as translated from Spanish.
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Despite their tumultuous relationship—marked by a public split, speculation over divorce, and a surprise reconciliation, Sanz maintained her dignity throughout.
A shocking legal U-Turn
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Alves, who was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison last year, saw his conviction overturned after appeal judges deemed the accuser an 'unreliable complainant.'
The ruling stated as per Dario AS, “It cannot be concluded that the limits of the presumption of innocence have been surpassed.”
Prosecutors had initially sought a much harsher sentence of nine years in prison for the 41 year old, while private prosecutors representing the alleged victim pushed for 12 years.
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Now, the only remaining legal avenue would be an appeal to Spain’s Supreme Court, though it remains unclear whether prosecutors will pursue it.
Alves has consistently maintained his innocence, stating during his trial that the encounter was consensual.
However, the young woman who accused him testified that he had forced himself on her and hit her.
Video evidence and DNA findings reportedly contradicted key aspects of her testimony, leading to the appeal judges' decision.