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Achraf Hakimi: Legal Proceedings, Allegations, and the Global Context

Saturday, June 20, 2026
5 min read
Achraf Hakimi: Legal Proceedings, Allegations, and the Global Context

Hakimi, Achraf Hakimi, and the whole situation. Paris Saint-Germain and him facing a rape charge. That’s where it starts. A French appeals court just upheld an earlier ruling that there is enough evidence for this case to actually move forward.

It's all very complicated. The Versailles Court of Appeal made that call on Friday. They rejected Hakimi’s attempt to challenge the decision from an investigating judge. That judge had followed the prosecutors’ recommendation: trial time. So now, it looks like the trial is coming. It will figure out if Hakimi you know, a two-time Champions League winner with PSG is actually responsible for these allegations. No date is set yet. Still waiting.

Hakimi has consistently denied everything. He’s one of those top right-backs, widely known globally. But March 2023 brought the official investigation. A 24-year-old woman accused him of rape at his place in a Paris suburb. That was the starting point for all this legal noise. And here’s the kicker: this ruling happens just hours before Morocco plays Scotland for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Right when things are supposed to be about football.

The lawyer for the complainant, Rachel-Flore Pardo, reacted pretty strongly. She said her client felt a sense of relief and hope after waiting over three years through all this legal stuff. It’s a big moment for her, I guess.

“Relief that she has been heard by the justice system and will have her case heard at trial,” Pardo put it. “Hope that this trial will help other women and further weaken the fortress of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, including within the world of men’s football.” That felt like a real statement, you know? A plea for something bigger than just Hakimi's situation.

Hakimi’s response came later, on X. He argued that if he wasn't such a high-profile footballer, this case wouldn't have even gotten to this point. But then there was the part where he talked about waiting. He said he had been ‘waiting for this trial since day one.’

He wrote something kind of heavy: “Justice looked me in the eyes and said to me: ‘If you weren’t famous, there never would have been a case.’ I chose to remain silent for years. I thought that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.” Then he shifts gears a little. “Today, a story that is not mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth. Sometimes I feel like I’ve become an easy target. I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I will be able to speak.”

It's a lot packed into that post. A real emotional shift there.

But the situation isn't just about Hakimi. His lawyer, Fanny Colin, didn't mince words either. She criticized the court's decision itself. Her point was that whatever evidence came out during the investigation should have led to the case being dropped right then and there.

“The multitude of exculpatory elements uncovered during the investigation and judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to the dismissal of the proceedings,” Colin argued. It sounds like she felt the process was flawed from the start.

It needs to be seen how this all impacts his World Cup. It’s not just a legal thing. Earlier stuff is still hanging around too. Remember Ghana and Thomas Partey? They got denied entry into Canada, refused a visa by Canadian immigration officials. That happened while there were criminal proceedings in the UK against him for sexual violence. Seems like one sort of global mess spilling over.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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