PARIS — Moroccan national team soccer player Achraf Hakimi is facing an investigation in France after he was charged with rape Thursday evening, the prosecutor’s office in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre said Friday.
Playing for Morocco’s national team, Hakimi was a key figure during the World Cup in Qatar last year as Morocco became the first African nation to advance to the semifinals.
Under French law, the charges against Hakimi will not automatically result in a trial and still could be dismissed.
Hakimi, 24, who was born in Spain, is as a defender for powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hakimi was seen training with other club members Friday, Agence France-Presse reported.
Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, said in a statement that during a hearing this week, “which took place at his express request, Achraf Hakimi firmly denied the accusations brought against him.”
“In my opinion, it follows from the documents, which are in the hands of the judicial police, that Mr. Hakimi has, in this case, been the subject of a racketeering attempt,” she added.
According to the Associated Press, Paris Saint-Germain Coach Christophe Galtier told reporters Friday that he would “answer no questions of a non-sporting nature [relating to] Achraf Hakimi.” Galtier added that he hoped Hakimi could train with the rest of the team “to be available” to play against Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16.
According to French media reports, the Nanterre prosecutor’s office launched a preliminary investigation Monday after a woman told authorities she had been raped by the soccer player at his home in Boulogne-Billancourt on the outskirts of Paris. The alleged incident reportedly happened Saturday.