The Swiss justice system, which more than three decades ago convicted the Brazilian Alexi Stival, Cuca, in absentia, for raping a 13-year-old teenager in a hotel in Bern, has just annulled the case due to a procedural defect, as reported this Wednesday by the Brazilian press. With this, the penalty that months ago stopped the career of one of the most applauded soccer coaches in Brazil in its tracks is also annulled. Last April, Cuca, 60, was forced to resign as coach of the men's Corinthians as soon as he was signed due to pressure from the women's team and some of the fans. That old conviction, forgotten for decades or seen as secondary information in the journalistic coverage of his career as a footballer and coach, became intolerable in the times of the Me Too. In addition, Corinthians has always boasted of its democratic movement, its values and has a campaign that urges respect for girls called Respect the mines.
The attack on the minor occurred in 1987, when Cuca was a twenty-something soccer player who had just arrived at the Porto Alegre Gremio, with whom he was on tour in Europe. He and three other players were arrested and jailed immediately after the rape. But, by the time the trial was held, they were already free and the four had fled to Brazil. They never appeared.
Judge Bettina Bochsler of the Bern Regional Court has now accepted Cuca's argument that he did not have a lawyer in that default trial and could therefore be subject to a new trial. But the Prosecutor's Office reported that the case had already prescribed, so the magistrate closed the case on December 28 and ordered that the coach be compensated with 9,500 Swiss francs ($11,000). The decision was announced this Wednesday.
Cuca has released a note in which he states: “Today I understand that I should have addressed this matter sooner. “I am relieved with the outcome and convinced that the last eight months, although emotionally difficult, happened at the right time and from God.”
Cuca had been with Corinthians for six days and two games when the resurrection of the conviction for rape of a teenager generated such pressure that he was forced to resign. More than three decades had passed since he was sentenced to 15 months for “indecent assault with violence,” like his companions Eduardo and Henrique; and Fernando, only for a violent act.
The wind of change has arrived strongly in the world of football in recent times, as demonstrated by the global impact and the earthquake that the Rubiales case for the non-consensual kiss of the head of the federation to the player Jenni Hermoso as soon as she won the World Cup. This Tuesday, the soccer player confirmed her accusations before the judge investigating the case.
Months earlier, Brazil was shocked when Dani Alves was imprisoned, accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub and imprisoned in Spain. Alves' trial is scheduled for February. Less scandal was caused by Robinho's nine-year prison sentence handed down by a court in Italy for rape. Before sitting on the bench, the former soccer player fled to his homeland, where he remains free because Brazil does not extradite its citizens. Of course, his career seems over. In 2021 he ended up leaving Santos without playing a single game due to pressure from sponsors.
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