In a significant development, a French appeals court has upheld the decision for Paris Saint-Germain and Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi to stand trial on rape charges, according to statements from lawyers to The Associated Press on Friday.
Hakimi, who is currently representing Morocco in the World Cup following his consecutive Champions League victories with PSG, had contested a February ruling from an investigative judge. This earlier decision, which aligned with recommendations from public prosecutors, indicated that Hakimi should indeed face trial.
The timing of the Versailles appeals court’s decision coincided with Morocco’s scheduled Group C clash against Scotland. The Moroccan team had previously secured a 1-1 draw in their opening match against Brazil.
Widely regarded as one of the premier right backs in the global football arena, Hakimi has maintained his innocence, denying any involvement in the alleged crime.
The allegations stem from an incident reported by a 24-year-old woman, who claims she was sexually assaulted by Hakimi at his residence in a suburb of Paris in March 2023.
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.”
“Relief that she has been heard by the justice system and will have her case heard at trial,” Pardo said in a statement to the AP. “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 on Friday that his case would have been dismissed if he had not been famous, and that he sometimes feels he has become “an easy target.”
“Justice looked me in the eye and told me: ‘If you were not famous, there would never have been a case,’” Hakimi wrote. “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.”
“I have been waiting for this trial since the first day. And I am now waiting for it impatiently,” he added. “Finally, I will be able to speak.”
A date for the trial has yet to be announced.
“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,” Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, told the AP.
“Achraf Hakimi’s defense regrets that no consequences were drawn from the 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.”