Morocco Captain Achraf Hakimi Appeals Decision Ordering Rape Trial in France

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has filed an appeal with France's Court of Cassation after an appeals court upheld a decision ordering him to stand trial on a rape allegation, according to a source close to the case cited by AFP.

The Versailles Court of Appeal ruled on June 19 that the Paris Saint-Germain defender should face trial in a French criminal court over allegations dating back to 2023. Hakimi has consistently denied the accusation.

The ruling came while the 27-year-old was leading Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Following the court's decision, Hakimi posted on X that he had been "waiting for this trial since day one," signaling his intention to contest the allegations through the legal process.

His lawyer has not commented publicly on the latest appeal, which has been lodged with France's Court of Cassation, the country's highest court for civil and criminal matters.

The Allegations

The case stems from a complaint filed in February 2023 by a 24-year-old woman in the Val-de-Marne region near Paris.

According to investigators, the woman told police that she first connected with Hakimi through Instagram in January 2023 before traveling to his home in a taxi allegedly arranged by the footballer.

She alleged that Hakimi kissed her, touched her without her consent, and raped her. Hakimi has denied the allegations throughout the investigation.

Legal Process Continues

The appeal to the Court of Cassation does not determine Hakimi's guilt or innocence. Instead, the court will examine whether the lower courts correctly applied French law when deciding that the case should proceed to trial.

Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the complainant, welcomed the previous ruling, stating that the courts had consistently ruled in her client's favor during the proceedings and that her client intends to continue pursuing the case through the French justice system.

If the Court of Cassation rejects Hakimi's appeal, the case will move forward to a criminal trial, where the allegations will be examined in court.