Sevilla's Rafa Mir sentenced to eight-and-a-half ⁠years in prison for sexual assault

[p]Women's rights have become a highly ‌sensitive national topic in Spain, especially in the ‌sports world, after scandals including former football chief ‌Luis Rubiales' unwanted kissing of a national team player or ex-Barcelona star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alves-dani/6m8LRsMC/"]Dani Alves[/a]' rape conviction, ‌which was later overturned.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mir-rafael/IXRaCzVt/"]Mir[/a] was arrested ⁠in September 2024 ‌after a woman filed a sexual assault complaint. His ​lawyer said at the time that the intercourse was consensual and that Mir ​categorically denied the accusations.[/b][/p][p]According to the ruling, Mir and another football player met two young ⁠women at a ​nightclub in Valencia and later went to Mir's home to continue the party. At the house, Mir sexually assaulted one of the women in ‌the pool and a bathroom, the court said.[/p][p]The court highlighted the victim's consistent and credible testimony, supported by witness accounts and forensic ⁠reports.[/p][p][b]The victim was awarded ​compensation of €64,000 ($74,300). The decision is not final and can be appealed, the court added.[/b][/p][image alt="Rafa Mir's recent seasons in numbers" id="f5cafc33-4072-4d90-8678-32c21e9c14f1" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="6c870a03-4278-4966-9132-1899f603d911" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Mir, who currently plays for LaLiga club [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/elche/4jl02tPF/"]Elche[/a], on loan from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sevilla/h8oAv4Ts/"]Sevilla[/a], was under contract at six-time league champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/valencia/CQeaytrD/"]Valencia[/a] ‌at the time of the incident in 2024.[/p][p]Sevilla, in a statement, said it respected the jury's decision, adding there was no place for violence or abuse in society.[/p][p][b]"The club, in light of the judgment issued by Section Four of the Provincial Court of Valencia in which footballer Rafa Mir - currently on loan at Elche CF until June 30 - is sentenced to eight and a half years, states its utmost respect for judicial proceedings and ‌expresses our firm and unequivocal condemnation of any type of ​violence, abuse, or sexual assault,"[/b] Sevilla said.[/p][p][b]"Such conduct has no ‌place in our society or in the values promoted by sport."[/b][/p][embed guid="9cfde42d-2d89-4fa1-b1d8-ff1a2841b5cb" url="https://x.com/SevillaFC_ENG/status/2066534110982529145" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 28-year-old striker has also played for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolves/j3Azpf5d/"]Wolverhampton Wanderers[/a], as well as Spain's national men's team in the Tokyo Olympics.[/p][p]Elche did not immediately respond to a request for comment.[/p]