Three former Spanish players were sentenced to 38 years in prison for each raping a juvenile group in 2017.

Three players, who played for fourth-grade football club Arandina at the time of the conduct, were sentenced for rape and complicity. The judge said the three knew the victim was underage when raping her in their apartment in the town of Aranda de Duero, in northern Spain.

In the verdict with three players, the judge said that the girl younger than 16 years old at that time could not resist due to the age and physical differences. The incident took place when the lights were off, surprising the victim and creating a menacing atmosphere.

Although the victim once told friends and relatives on social networks that she was not raped, the court still accepted her later statement of not volunteering to have sex with the players.

Olga Navarro, the lawyer for the players, called the sentence "disgraceful", saying the court imprisoned three innocent people. The players denied any wrongdoing, claiming that she lied about the rape case.

"We are not rapists. We are innocent and they are just trying to ruin our lives," Carlos Cuadrado, one of the three players, said after hearing the court ruling. Victor Rodriguez, another player, said the verdict was a consequence of social and media pressure.

They may file an appeal.

Sexual violence became the focus of attention in Spain, after many lawsuits. Prominent is the Wolf Pack case, in which 5 men were convicted for raping girls at Pamplona bull racing festival.

These cases show that Spanish law does not recognize rape without threats or physical violence. The government has set up a council to review relevant parts of the penal code.