Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi has allegedly been charged with rape by French prosecutors.
The Morocco international was accused of raping a 24-year-old woman in Boulogne-Billancourt - a commune in the Paris suburbs - on Sunday, having missed PSG's win over Marseille due to a thigh injury.
The woman reportedly did not want to lodge a formal complaint or press charges, but the severity of the case led to high-ranking police chiefs being notified, and an investigation was opened.
Hakimi was in attendance at FIFA's The Best awards on Monday evening a couple of hours after Le Parisien first broke the news - going up on stage to collect his FIFA FIFPRO Men's World XI trophy.
Lawyers for the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan defender claimed that the allegations were false, and Hakimi was said to have been relaxed about the situation.
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"The accusations are false. He is calm and is making himself available to the authorities," a statement from Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin read.
However, the AFP News Agency now reports that Hakimi has been officially charged with rape by prosecutors, and the investigation has progressed from a preliminary to a formal stage.
Neither Hakimi nor PSG have released any public statements regarding the allegations, but the French champions told The Athletic that their player denied the charges and was being supported.
"The club supports the player who has firmly denied the accusations and trusts the justice system. PSG is an institution that promotes respect on and off the pitch," PSG told the publication.
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PSG were said to have been "surprised" to hear of the allegations against Hakimi on Monday, and the Moroccan is now under legal supervision as the investigation continues.
Hakimi was in training with PSG on Friday morning ahead of Saturday's Ligue 1 game with Nantes at the Parc des Princes, and first-team manager Christophe Galtier will no doubt be questioned on the charges in this afternoon's press conference.
Hakimi has posted eight goals and 11 assists in 72 games for PSG since joining from Inter Milan in 2021, including four goals and five assists from 31 games in the current campaign.
The 24-year-old shone for Morocco during their historic run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar, and he is under contract with PSG until the end of the 2025-26 season.
PSG sit eight points clear of Marseille at the top of the Ligue 1 table, having amassed 60 points from their 25 games this term.
Ben Knapton
