Sexual aggression
Professional footballer has to be in prison for a long time
June 15, 2026 – 6:46 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Spanish footballer Rafa Mir has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for sexual aggression. He had emphasized that the sex with a woman was consensual. The court saw it differently.
Spanish professional footballer Rafa Mir has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison and ordered to pay compensation of 64,000 euros for allegations of sexual aggression against a young woman. The 28-year-old striker from FC Valencia had to spend two nights behind bars in September 2024 after a 23-year-old reported him. At that time he was released on conditional terms.
Mir protests his innocence. He and his lawyer emphasized that the sexual acts were consensual. It was initially unknown whether he would appeal against the judgment, which was not yet final.
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Footballer Pablo Jara, accused in the same criminal case, was also sentenced to two and a half years in prison for sexual aggression against a second woman.
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The 23-year-old stated in the complaint and repeated during the trial that she was raped by the athlete on September 1, 2024 in Villa Mirs in Valencia. Court documents show that the 23-year-old said she defended herself against Mir in tears. Jara was accused of harassing a friend of the 23-year-old and eventually throwing her out of the villa half-naked.
Mir is actually under contract with Sevilla FC, but was loaned out to Elche FC for one season. He took part in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo with the Spanish selection. Spain made it to the final, but had to settle for the silver medal after a 1-2 defeat against Brazil after extra time. Back then, Mir scored three goals in six matches.