The coach of the Moroccan national team reacted to the court's decision regarding Ashraf Hakimi

On Friday, the Court of Appeal of Versailles (France) confirmed that defender and captain of the Moroccan national team Ashraf Hakimi will appear before the court in the case of rape. The decision was announced a few hours before the World Cup match against Scotland in Foxborough. Despite loud news and whistles from the stands, Hakimi led the team onto the field with the captain's armband and the head coach of the team, Mohamed Wahbi, publicly supported his leader. At the post-match press conference, Mohamed Wahbi was asked if it was difficult to work with a player amid such a serious legal process. The coach categorically rejected any fears: "Did you see the game? I think you did. Hakimi was extraordinary, so we're very relaxed, he's very relaxed and I think he played very well. He woke up in the morning, ate like everybody else, was focused, played with everybody, wanted to play hard and that's what he did." Although some fans in the stadium booed Hakimi every time he touched the ball, Wahbi emphasized the undeniable support of the team: "We don't need to say anything - we support him. I hope he shows that he is the best winger in the world. I think it's important for me, the players and the 44 million Moroccans who follow us." Previous allegations against the footballer were made in March 2023 after a 24-year-old woman said he raped her at his home in a Paris suburb. Hakimi's defense appealed the investigating judge's decision in February, but the appeals court rejected the appeal. In its statement to the media, the Investigative Chamber noted that the collected evidence is sufficient for the official filing of charges and the transfer of the case to court. The plaintiff's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, commented on the decision as follows: After more than three years of litigation and after Ashraf Hakimi's defense defamed and defamed her, this decision brings my client a sense of relief and hope." The football player himself continues to categorically deny any wrongdoing. On Friday, he commented on the situation on his page in the social network X (formerly Twitter), saying that he had become a victim of his own popularity: According to him, the case would have been closed long ago if he was not a famous person. Hakimi complained that he sometimes feels like a target. He added that this scandal caused irreparable damage not only to him, but also to his family. The exact date of the trial remains unknown at this time. We will remind that after two rounds, the African team is in second place in Quartet C. In the decisive round, Wahbi's wards will play against Haiti. The match is scheduled for June 25, starting at 01:00.