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Santos signed Robinho even though he was convicted of rape. Thankfully they have now suspended his contract
By Tom Sanderson for Yellow and Green Football
In sensitive times, when Premier League clubs are willing to spend more than £1bn in the transfer window yet furlough their staff, and the league decides to charge fans box-office prices for pay-per-view games on top of already extortionate TV packages, a transfer deal struck a different note of tone-deafness in Brazil. Earlier this month, Santos announced that Robinho, one of their most famous academy products, was returning home for a “last pedal”. The tagline to the transfer was a play on his trademark stepover, known in Portuguese as the “pedalada”, as well as a nod to the fact that, at 36, this could be his Michael Jordan-esque last dance in football.
Robinho was commended for charging just 1,500 reais (£208) a month in wages – just 150% of the minimum wage in Brazil – but, on a much wider scale, there was outrage that Santos would sign him at all, never mind shower their social media accounts with celebratory posts about the deal. Three years ago, Robinho was found guilty of taking part in the gang rape of a woman in Italy in 2013. He was given a nine-year sentence but, because Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its own citizens, he has never served any time in jail. He pleaded not guilty in the trial and is appealing the verdict. He says his “contact” with the woman on the night was consensual and that his only regret is that he cheated on his wife. Continue reading...