Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has said he will “allow the truth to come out publicly” after learning he is to face trial for an alleged rape.
The allegation dates back to February 2023 and was made by a then 24-year-old woman who claimed the Morocco international assaulted her in his home in the south east of Paris.
“Today, a rape accusation is enough to justify a trial,” Hakimi, who denies the allegations, posted on X.
“This is as unjust to the innocent as it is to the genuine victims. I calmly await this trial, which will allow the truth to come out publicly.”
Hakimi’s lawyer Fanny Colin and the prosecutor in the Nanterre suburb of Paris have both confirmed to French media a trial had been ordered.
Rachel-Flore Pardo, who represents the plaintiff, told the Associated Press her client welcomed the order committing the case to trial “with relief,” adding it “is fully consistent with the evidence in the file.”
Hakimi was given preliminary charges of rape in March 2023. In the French legal system, preliminary charges mean judges have strong reason to suspect a crime was committed but are allowing time for further investigation before deciding whether to send a case to trial.
“A trial has been ordered based on an accusation that rests solely on the word of a woman who obstructed all investigations, refused all medical examinations and DNA testing, refused access to her mobile phone, and refused to provide the name of a key witness,” Colin said.
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Colin argued that two successive psychological assessments of the plaintiff “revealed a lack of clarity regarding the facts she claims to denounce, as well as the absence of any post-traumatic symptoms.”
In her statement, Pardo said if the justice system has been exemplary in this case, “the broader handling of this affair serves as a reminder of one thing: There remain environments where the Me Too movement has yet to break the sound barrier, chief among them the world of men’s professional football.”
PSG coach Luis Enrique was asked in a news conference on Tuesday ahead of the Monaco match whether Hakimi’s case changes anything for the team and whether he remains the vice captain. Luis Enrique said only: “This is in the hands of the justice system.”
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this story
