Julien LaurensCorrespondent6:32 AM ET2 Minute Read
Achraf Hakimi has been charged with rape following an investigation.Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been charged with rape, Nanterre prosecutors told ESPN on Friday.
An investigation was launched against Hakimi last week after a 23-year-old woman went to the police and accused him of raping him.
The alleged victim did not press charges, but the seriousness of her testimony led prosecutors to decide to investigate.
The public prosecutor’s office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre said Hakimi was interrogated by investigators on Thursday about allegations of rape. He was then charged by an investigating judge and placed under judicial supervision.
The Moroccan international has been placed under police surveillance and has been banned from contact with the alleged victim, prosecutors said. The player is allowed to leave French territory, prosecutors added.
Neither Hakimi nor PSG have commented publicly on the investigation, but sources have told ESPN that the player denies all allegations against him.
Hakimi’s attorney, Fanni Colin, said he wanted to clear his client’s name and would fully cooperate with the investigation.
Ahead of Friday’s developments, sources told ESPN that Hakimi would be available for his club’s league game against Nantes on Saturday.
The 24-year-old attended the FIFA Best awards ceremony in Paris on Monday, where he was selected for the FIFPRO World XI 2022.
Hakimi joined PSG in 2021 and helped the club win the league title last season. He also played a key role in guiding Morocco to the semi-finals of this year’s World Cup.
Information from Portal and Associated Press was included in this report.