SAO PAULO - Police arrested former footballer Robinho in the Brazilian city of Santos on March 21 to serve out a nine-year prison sentence for rape, local news website G1 reported.

Robinho's defense had filed a petition to Brazil's Supreme Court to avoid his arrest, but the appeal was rejected on March 21. A day later, a separate local court had ruled the athlete must serve his sentence in Brazil, though he was convicted in Italy. REUTERS