A French appeals court has confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco star defender Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in a rape case, according to lawyers who spoke to The Associated Press.
Court Ruling and Background
The Versailles appeals court rejected Hakimi's appeal against a February decision by an investigative judge, which followed recommendations from public prosecutors that Hakimi should face trial. The ruling was announced just hours before Morocco faced Scotland in their Group C World Cup match. Morocco had earlier drawn 1-1 with Brazil in their opening game.
Hakimi, widely regarded as one of the best right backs in the world, denies any wrongdoing. He faced preliminary charges of rape in March 2023 after a 24-year-old woman alleged she was raped by Hakimi at his home in a Paris suburb.
Reactions from Both Sides
Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the plaintiff, said that after more than three years of legal proceedings, “and after being defamed and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi’s defense,” the court’s decision “brings my client a sense of relief and hope.” She added: “Relief that she has been heard by the justice system and will have her case heard at trial. Hope that this trial will help other women and further weaken the fortress of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, including within the world of men’s football.”
Hakimi claimed in a message posted on X that his case would have been dismissed if he had not been famous, and that he sometimes feels he has become “an easy target.” He wrote: “Justice looked me in the eye and told me: ‘If you were not famous, there would never have been a case.’ I chose to remain silent for years. I believed that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.” He added that the case has been detrimental not only to him, but also to his family, “and above all, to the truth.” He stated: “I have been waiting for this trial since the first day. And I am now waiting for it impatiently. Finally, I will be able to speak.”
Defense and Next Steps
Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, told the AP: “The multitude of exculpatory elements uncovered during the investigation and judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to the dismissal of the proceedings.” She regretted that no consequences were drawn from what she described as “contradictions and false statements made by the complainant, her concealment of information from the judicial authorities, her obstruction of the search for the truth, and the psychological assessments noting both her ambivalence and her lack of clarity regarding the events she reported.”
A date for the trial has yet to be announced.
