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The captain of the Morocco national football team has lost his appeal in the French Court of Appeal.

Achraf Hakimi is set to stand trial on rape charges following the rejection of his appeal by the Versailles Court of Appeal.

The Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco right-back faces charges related to an alleged incident that took place in February 2023.

According to reports from The Athletic, Hakimi was formally charged in March 2023 and has consistently denied any allegations of wrongdoing.

The French appeal court determined that there was adequate evidence to proceed with a trial for Hakimi.

A date for the trial has not been announced yet. In the meantime, Hakimi is expected to continue representing Morocco at the World Cup, having featured in their opening fixture against Brazil.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Rachel Flore-Pardo, shared on X: “The investigating chamber has concluded that sufficient evidence exists against Achraf Hakimi for committing rape.

“This ruling aligns perfectly with the evidence presented and is consistent with the views of the public prosecutor, the investigating judge, and the advocate general at the Court of Appeal.

“Six judges have therefore determined that the numerous incriminating elements justify indicting Achraf Hakimi before the Departmental Criminal Court for rape.

“After more than three years of legal proceedings, after being vilified and discredited by Achraf Hakimi’s defence, this decision brings my client both relief and hope.

“Relief that she has finally been heard by the justice system and that a trial will take place. Hope that this case will encourage other women and help dismantle the wall of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, even within men’s football.”

Hakimi’s lawyer had sought dismissal of the case, telling the Associated Press: “The multitude of exculpatory elements revealed throughout the investigation and judicial inquiry would, in any other matter, have resulted in dismissal of the proceedings.

“Achraf Hakimi’s defence regrets that no attention was given to the inconsistencies and false statements made by the complainant, her withholding of information from judicial authorities, her obstruction of efforts to uncover the truth, and the psychological assessments highlighting both her ambivalence and lack of clarity regarding the events she described.”

Following the court’s decision, Hakimi posted on X: “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 stay silent for years. I believed that maintaining dignity, showing patience, and trusting the justice system would lead to the right outcome.

“Now, a story that does not belong to me is being told at the expense of my family, my life, and above all, the truth. Sometimes I feel like I have become an easy target.

“I have been waiting for this trial since the beginning. And now, I look forward to it. Finally, I will have the opportunity to speak.”