Achraf Hakimi, Morocco’s World Cup captain, to stand trial on rape charge

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defender Achraf Hakimi, who is due to join Morocco’s World Cup squad against Scotland later on Friday, said he faced trial on a rape charge and welcomed the opportunity to put across his point of view.

Hakimi, who played for Morocco during their World Cup opener against Brazil on Sunday, had appealed his referral to a criminal court.

French media reported earlier that the Versailles appeals court had rejected the appeal, paving the way for his trial in a criminal court at some point in the future.

“Today, a story that isn’t mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, ⁠the truth. Sometimes I feel like ⁠I’ve become an easy target,” Hakimi wrote in a post on social media platform X.

“I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I’ll be able to speak out.”

The Nanterre prosecutor’s office in the French capital of Paris had opened an investigation in 2023 after a woman accused him of rape.

Hakimi, one of the best right-backs in the world, denies any wrongdoing. He faced preliminary charges of rape in March 2023 after the 24-year-old woman said she was raped by Hakimi at his home in a Paris suburb.

It was not immediately clear when the trial would start. Reuters news agency said that the Versailles appeals court and Hakimi’s lawyer did not immediately respond to their requests for comment.