Hakimi to Face Rape Trial After Court Rejects Appeal

Achraf Hakimi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, will face trial over a rape claim. This follows the decision of France’s highest court, which turned down his final appeal on Wednesday. The court's ruling paves the way for a trial in the Hauts-de-Seine area.

French sports newspaper L’Équipe reports that the Cour de cassation dismissed Hakimi’s appeal. They ruled there were no strong reasons to accept it. A judicial source informed AFP that the court acted on the advice of the rapporteur and the conclusions of the advocate general.

Hakimi’s lawyer, Bertrand Périer, confirmed the court's decision in a statement. “The Cour de cassation has rejected Achraf Hakimi’s appeal, judging that no serious means were of a nature to allow its admission, in accordance with the opinion of the rapporteur and the conclusions of the advocate general,” Périer said.

The complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, stated that her client is determined to follow through with the case after more than three and a half years. “After three and a half years of judicial combat, after having been slandered and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi’s defence, my client is determined to obtain justice, she will fight to the end,” Pardo said.

“She hopes with all her heart that this trial will help other women, and crack a little more the fortress of denial and impunity for sexual violence, even in the world of men’s football,” she added.

Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, pointed out that the case's merits have not been reviewed by the Cour de cassation and will be looked at during the trial. “The facts reproached to Achraf Hakimi, which he has firmly contested from the first day, have not been examined by the Cour de cassation. They will be during the trial, in the course of which all the elements in defence of Mr Achraf Hakimi will be publicly and contradictorily presented,” Colin said.

She also claimed that the complainant’s side has made it hard to establish the facts. She mentioned the alleged hiding of messages about a plan to “strip” Hakimi, not revealing a key witness's identity, not agreeing to medical examinations, and not allowing access to the complainant’s phone.

“Mr Hakimi, who has nothing to hide, has for his part fully cooperated with the police and judicial authorities and will continue to do so on the occasion of the forthcoming trial,” Colin said.

This case started back in February 2023. A 24-year-old woman accused Hakimi of raping her at his home in Boulogne-Billancourt after they met on Instagram and she visited him late one night.

Hakimi, who is also the captain of Morocco, has always denied the allegation. He insists that their encounter was consensual.

An investigating judge ordered him to stand trial in February 2026. This decision was later confirmed by the Versailles Court of Appeal in June. Hakimi then took his appeal to the Cour de cassation, the highest court in France for criminal and civil matters.