Disgraced former Premier League star Robinho loses final appeal for role in gang rape of woman

DISGRACED footballer Robinho has lost his final appeal against a conviction for gang rape.

The rape of the woman took place on her 23rd birthday at a Milan nightclub in 2013 while he was playing for AC Milan.

Robinho and five others were found guilty in 2017.

The conviction was confirmed by an appeals court in 2020.

Yesterday the Supreme Court in Rome upheld the previous ruling sentencing the 37-year-old to nine years in jail.

The ruling cannot be challenged and is definitive.

Robinho, whose full name is Robson de Souza, lives in Brazil. His Italian lawyer Franco Moretti confirmed Wednesday's verdict, telling Reuters it was "deeply unfair".

Robinho played for top European soccer clubs Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan, and signed a contract in 2020 to return to his very first club in Brazil, Santos.

However, the deal almost immediately fell apart after sponsors reportedly threatened to cut ties with the club for signing a player convicted of rape.

Italy could launch extradition proceedings now that Robinho has received a definitive verdict.

However, Brazil has a long-standing tradition of not extraditing its own citizens.

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.

It's claimed Robinho said the woman "was completely drunk".

But Robinho's legal team stated the messages were mistranslated into Italian.