PSG defender Achraf Hakimi has been ordered to stand trial on a rape charge stemming from a complaint filed in early 2023. The complainant says she met Hakimi on Instagram and alleges she was assaulted at his home; Hakimi denies the allegations and says he welcomes a public trial. Lawyers for both sides have issued contrasting statements, and PSG said the matter is in the hands of the authorities.
Achraf Hakimi Ordered To Stand Trial Over 2023 Rape Allegation
Paris Saint Germain star Achraf Hakimi is to stand trial accused of rape (Anna KURTH)(Anna KURTH/AFP/AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi has been ordered to stand trial on a charge of rape arising from an incident reported in early 2023, his lawyer and a prosecutor in Nanterre said on Tuesday.
The complaint was filed in February 2023 by a woman who was 24 at the time and reported the alleged incident to police in Val-de-Marne, southeast of Paris. According to earlier police accounts, the woman says she met Hakimi on Instagram in January 2023, travelled to his home in a taxi reportedly ordered by the player, and was then sexually assaulted.
Hakimi, 27, a Moroccan international who was a key figure in Morocco's run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, has strongly denied any wrongdoing. Posting on X, he wrote that he contests the accusation and believes the truth will emerge at trial.
"Today, a rape accusation is enough to justify a trial, even though I contest it and everything proves that it is false," Hakimi wrote. "I await this trial calmly, which will allow the truth to come out publicly."
Hakimi's lawyer, Fanny Colin, confirmed a trial had been ordered and accused the complainant of obstructing the investigation by declining medical examinations, DNA tests and phone analysis, and by refusing to name a key witness.
The complainant's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said her client felt relieved that the case would be tried and praised the judiciary's handling of the matter. She also commented more broadly that the #MeToo movement has had limited impact in men's professional football.
Asked about the development at a pre-match press conference ahead of PSG's Champions League play-off second leg with Monaco, coach Luis Enrique said: "This matter is in the hands of the authorities." The club confirmed Hakimi trained with the squad and, as the club's first-choice right-back, he was expected to be available for selection.
Background: Born in Spain to Moroccan parents, Hakimi progressed through the Real Madrid academy and made his senior debut in 2017. He has played for Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan and joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. He was a prominent member of Morocco's national team when they reached the 2022 World Cup semi-finals and featured at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The case will now proceed to trial, where evidence will be examined and the courts will determine the outcome.
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