Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has been charged with rape, the prosecutor’s department of Nanterre said Friday.
The 24-year-old, who also plays for Morocco’s national team, was placed under judicial supervision and prohibited from contacting the alleged victim in the case, according to French newspaper Le Parisien, ESPN and multiple outlets.
Le Parisien first reported an investigation started when a 24-year-old told authorities she had been assaulted by Hakimi.
‘Achraf Hakimi strongly denies the accusations against him,’ according to a statement from Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, who called Hakimi a ‘victim of racketeering’and said ‘being charged gives M. Hakimi the possibility to defend himself with a lot of rights, especially to have access to the case file.’
It is unclear if Hakimi will play for PSG in the Champions League Round of 16 match against Bayern Munich, scheduled for Wednesday, or in matches over the weekend.
Hakimi helped Morocco make World Cup history last year after the squad became the first African team to reach the semifinals.
