Dorival:If a crime is proven, Robinho must be penalized – 03/22/2024 – Sport

Brazilian national team coach Dorival Junior stated this Friday (22) that former players who have committed crimes must be punished in accordance with the law.

“If there really was and proven some type of crime, it has to be penalized, as much as it hurts my heart to say this about a person with whom I have always had an exceptional relationship”, said the coach in reference to the former player Robson de Souza, known as Robinho, arrested this Thursday (21) in Santos to serve the nine-year prison sentence he was sentenced for participating in a gang rape against a young woman of Albanian origin in a nightclub in Milan in 2013.

Dorival coached Robinho at Santos in 2010, having won the Campeonato Paulista and Copa do Brasil together that year.

He classified Robinho as a “fantastic person” and an “above average” professional, but highlighted that, at the moment, his thoughts are focused on the families of the people involved, as well as the victims of the crimes committed.

“I know how painful it must have been for each of them who go through and have gone through a moment like this,” said Dorival.

“I don’t wish this on anyone, I feel for everyone, I feel for everything they will go through from then on in their lives, everyone who is involved, what I can do is help them with prayers,” said the coach.

He further stated that thousands of cases of sexual violence against women happen routinely and that society, unfortunately, neglects the majority of the time.

“We also need to penalize these cases that are not exposed and that happen very frequently,” said Dorival, who said he felt obliged to speak out about this in his role as coach of the Brazilian team.