A French judge has ordered Achraf Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender, to stand trial in a high-profile rape case, a decision that has immediately triggered plans for an appeal from the player’s legal team.
Lawyers confirmed the ruling on Tuesday following recommendations made last August by prosecutors in Nanterre, who argued that the case should proceed to trial. No date has yet been scheduled.
Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, said the decision would be challenged, maintaining that the evidence does not support sending the case before a criminal court. “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.
The case dates back to March 2023, when Hakimi was placed under preliminary charge after a 24-year-old woman accused him of assault at his home in a Paris suburb. Under French law, preliminary charges indicate that investigators believe there are serious grounds to suspect a crime, while allowing judges additional time to assess whether a full trial is warranted.
Colin further argued that psychological evaluations weaken the complaint, claiming that two separate assessments “revealed a lack of clarity regarding the facts she claims to denounce, as well as the absence of any post-traumatic symptoms.”
Hakimi has consistently denied the allegations. Responding publicly on X, the defender said he remains confident the judicial process will clear his name. “Today, an accusation of rape is enough to justify a trial, even though I contest it and everything shows that it is false. This is as unjust for the innocent as it is for genuine victims,” he wrote, adding that he “calmly awaits” a trial that “will allow the truth to emerge publicly.”
On the other side, Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the plaintiff, said her client received the judge’s decision “with relief,” describing it as “fully consistent with the evidence in the file.” Pardo also framed the case within a broader cultural context, saying that while the justice system had acted properly, “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.”
The ruling comes as Hakimi remains an integral part of Paris Saint-Germain, one of Europe’s elite clubs. Asked whether the legal proceedings would affect the squad or Hakimi’s status as vice-captain ahead of a Champions League playoff against Monaco, PSG coach Luis Enrique declined to comment in detail, saying only, “This is in the hands of the justice system.”
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