France to put Moroccan national team captain Achraf Hakimi on trial for rape

Soccer player Achraf Hakimi will finally appear in court on rape charges—a “legal victory” for the plaintiff and an opportunity for the Moroccan national team captain to defend himself, the French judiciary confirmed on Friday.

In February 2023, a young woman reported at a police station that the player from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) had raped her, but the athlete has always dismissed the accusation as “false.”

In February, the court ordered him to stand trial, a decision that Hakimi appealed. However, the Versailles Court of Appeals upheld the decision on Friday, as the preliminary investigation determined that “there are sufficient charges.”

Timing of the news

The announcement of the trial, via a court statement, comes as the soccer star prepares to play Morocco’s second World Cup match against Scotland.

Despite the severity of the allegations, Hakimi, who was born in Madrid 27 years ago, does not seem troubled, currently focused on continuing to advance his career in his third World Cup with the Moroccan national team.

Although the date of the trial, scheduled to take place before a criminal court in the Paris region, has not yet been announced, shortly after the announcement, Hakimi stated that he is “eagerly awaiting” it: “I’ll finally be able to speak out,” he wrote on social media.

“I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that maintaining my dignity, being patient and trusting in justice would lead to the right decisions being made,” added the player, whose attorney, Fanny Colin, emphasized that going to trial does not mean he “is guilty.”

"A long road"

The complainant’s attorney, Rachel-Flore Pardo, celebrated a “legal victory” that brings “relief and hope” to her client, “after more than three years of legal battles, having been slandered and dragged through the mud by the defense.”

The young woman said she had met Achraf Hakimi in January 2023 through the social media platform Instagram and that she went to his home in a ride-hailing vehicle arranged by the player, according to a police source at the time of the incident.

According to the woman’s account, Hakimi kissed her and touched her without her consent before raping her. She then managed to push him away and contact a friend via text message, who came to pick her up.

Achraf Hakimi was charged and placed under judicial supervision a few days later, in March.

His lawyer, who did not confirm whether they would appeal the decision to the Court of Cassation, denounced a “reversed class justice.” “This investigation was only opened because a police report” ended up in the press, since Hakimi is “a public figure,” she said.