Achraf Hakimi, the captain of the Moroccan national football team and a defender for Paris Saint-Germain, will face trial on charges of rape, French judicial authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The case threatens to overshadow Morocco’s historic run at the 2022 World Cup and raises questions about the governance of the sport.
The charges stem from an incident alleged to have occurred in February 2023 at Hakimi’s home in a Paris suburb. A 24-year-old woman filed a complaint accusing the player of assault. Hakimi, who denies the allegations, has been placed under judicial supervision and is barred from contacting the plaintiff.
The trial, set for 2024, will be a high-profile test for football’s institutional response to serious allegations. Previous cases involving elite athletes have often been mired in delays or lack of transparency. Stakeholders, including the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and FIFA, have yet to issue substantive statements beyond noting that the legal process must take its course.
Hakimi’s legal team has signalled a robust defence, with lawyer Fanny Colin stating that the allegations are “unfounded and will be disproven in court.” Meanwhile, women’s rights groups in France and Morocco have called for the case to be handled with the utmost seriousness, arguing that the player’s status should not influence proceedings.
The case has broader implications for the integrity of football. In a sport where clubs and federations often prioritise commercial interests over accountability, the outcome of this trial will be closely watched. If Hakimi is convicted, it would mark a rare instance of a high-profile player facing legal consequences for off-field misconduct, potentially setting a precedent for how such cases are managed.
For Morocco, which has invested heavily in its football programme since the World Cup, the case is a diplomatic challenge. The country’s soft power ambitions, built partly around the team’s success, now face scrutiny over its handling of gender-based violence.
The trial is expected to last several weeks, with testimonies from both the plaintiff and the defendant. The court will also examine forensic evidence and communications between the parties. A verdict is unlikely before the end of 2024.
