Hakimi To Face Trial After French Court Rejects Appeal

Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France after the country’s highest judicial court rejected his appeal against his referral to trial.

The Court of Cassation dismissed Hakimi’s appeal on Wednesday, confirming his referral to the departmental criminal court of Hauts-de-Seine over allegations of rape involving a woman in February 2023.

The decision follows several stages in the case. In February, an investigating judge ordered Hakimi to stand trial. The Moroccan international challenged the decision, but the Versailles Court of Appeal confirmed his referral on June 19. Hakimi subsequently appealed to the Court of Cassation, which has now rejected his final challenge to the referral.

The case concerns allegations made by a woman who said she was sexually assaulted at Hakimi’s home in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, in February 2023. Hakimi has consistently denied the allegations and has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.

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Following the June decision, Hakimi said he was looking forward to the trial, stating that he would finally have the opportunity to present his side of the case publicly.

Hakimi’s appeal to the Court of Cassation was a legal challenge to the decision to send him to trial. The court’s ruling does not determine his guilt or innocence. The case will now proceed to trial before the departmental criminal court of Hauts-de-Seine.

A specific date for the trial has not yet been announced.

The 27-year-old defender has continued his football career during the legal proceedings. He remains a key player for both PSG and Morocco, having also represented the Atlas Lions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

James Agberebi is a sports content creator and analyst with a passion for football and other sports. He writes sports news, match reports, and analysis to keep fans informed about the latest developments in the sporting world. James has covered international matches involving both Nigeria’s men’s and women’s national teams. His experience covering Nigerian football gives him a good understanding of the game and the teams he writes about. Through his work with Complete Sports, James shares sports updates, match coverage, and analysis with readers in Nigeria and around the world.