Achraf Hakimi faces trial on rape charges, French prosecutors confirm

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi will stand trial on rape charges, French prosecutors have confirmed. A woman has accused the Paris Saint-Germain defender of raping her at his home in Paris in 2023, when she was 24 years old. The prosecutor's office of Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, began a preliminary investigation in March 2023. The judge set the trial for February 2026, and French media reported that Hakimi, now 27, failed to have the trial overturned in recent appeal proceedings.

Hakimi, who is due to captain the team's second World Cup match against Scotland on Friday (23:00 BST), has consistently denied all allegations. "The court system looked me in the eye and said, 'If you weren't famous, this case wouldn't have happened,'" Hakimi wrote on social media Friday. "I chose to remain silent for many years. I believed that maintaining my dignity, patience and trust in the judicial system would help me make the right decisions. Today, it is not my story that is being told at the expense of my family, my life and most of all, the truth. I sometimes feel like I have become an easy target. I have been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I am looking forward to it. Finally, I will be able to speak out."Rachel-Flore Pardo, the plaintiff's lawyer, commented: "After more than three years of litigation, and after my client was, in her opinion, slandered and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi's defense, this decision brings her relief and hope. Relief that she has been heard in the court system and that she will have the right to a trial. Hope that this trial will help other women and further weaken the wall of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, including in the world of men's football." A trial start date has not yet been set. All three of Morocco's group stage matches are taking place in the United States, where the team is currently based. However, if Morocco makes it to the knockout stages, Hakimi may face difficulties entering Canada or Mexico if their matches are scheduled outside the United States. Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey missed his team's opening match against Panama last week after he was denied entry into World Cup host country Canada. Partey, 32, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault related to allegations made by four different women between 2020 and 2022. His trial is scheduled for next year. The Government of Canada's website states that they can refuse entry to anyone who has "committed or been convicted of a crime."The World Cup takes place in all three host countries until the quarter-finals, when it will be held exclusively in the United States. Hakimi, who has 97 caps for Morocco, made his international debut in 2016 at the age of 17. He became a key figure in Morocco's squad that became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2022. The defender signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 after joining from Inter and won 13 trophies during his time at the club, including back-to-back Champions League titles in the last two seasons.---## Related Articles1. ਵਿਸ਼ਵ ਕੱਪ 2026 ਵਿੱਚ ਨਵੀਂ ਨੀਤੀ ਦੇ ਤਹਿਤ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਵਾਰ ਖਿਡਾਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਨਿਕਾਲਿਆ ਗਿਆ 2. ২০২৬-এ আর্জেন্টিনা ও আলজেরিয়া ম্যাচ](https://golghorbd.com/all-news/--100)