French prosecutors said on Friday that Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi had been charged with a preliminary charge of rape.
The prosecutor’s office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre said investigators probing the rape allegations questioned Hakimi on Thursday. He was then charged by an investigating judge and placed under judicial supervision.
Under French law, preliminary allegations mean there is reason to suspect a crime has been committed, but it gives magistrates more time to investigate before deciding whether to send the case to trial.
In a written message to The Associated Press, Hakimi’s attorney, Fanny Collin, said that the player “strongly denies the allegations made against him”.
Collin said that her client being charged was “a mandatory step for anyone accused of rape” and would allow Hakimi to defend herself by giving her access to the case. Collin also stated that certain elements collected by the judicial police show that Hakimi “has been subjected to an attempted fraud in this case.”
The Moroccan national team player has been banned from contacting the alleged victim, a 24-year-old woman who says she was raped by Hakimi at his home in a Paris suburb on Saturday. Prosecutors said Hakimi was allowed to leave French territory.
According to Le Parisien newspaper, which revealed the allegations earlier this week, the woman went to the police station on Sunday, where she accused him of rape.
The woman’s attorney, Rachel-Flor Pardo, said in a statement that the preliminary allegations are based on “credible and consistent evidence.”
She said in a statement to the AP, “My client has chosen to believe in justice and only justice, and will speak up only for justice.” “We will not tolerate any slander or destabilization campaign (against him).”
Spanish-born Hakimi is a defender who helped Morocco make World Cup history last year by becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. On Friday, he was seen training with PSG.
Prosecutors launched their preliminary investigation on Monday.
Hakimi returned to training with PSG on Friday after a minor hamstring problem and could be in the team’s squad to play Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.
PSG has to play Nantes at home in the French league on Saturday.
In a press conference on Friday, PSG coach Christophe Gaultier said he would not “answer any questions of a non-sporting nature (relating to Achraf Hakimi).”
Galtier said he hoped Hakimi could train with the rest of the team in order to “be available” to play against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the round of 16 on Wednesday.
“The players were hardworking and serious,” said Gaultier when asked what the mood was like in training, looking into the matter.
Hakimi appeared on stage at the FIFA Awards in Paris on Monday. He was honored as part of the player-voted men’s All-Star team and was greeted with brief, loud applause when he was introduced.