Two French international rugby players have been charged with the aggravated rape of a woman following a match in Argentina, according to prosecutors.
Join the RUCK’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Hugo Auradou, 20, and Oscar Jegou, 21, are accused of raping a 39-year-old woman after France’s victory over Argentina on Saturday. The woman claims that the players raped and beat her multiple times in a hotel room in the city of Mendoza.
On Friday a lawyer for the players said his clients were confident in their version of events.
“They are well and sure of their version, they are calm because they know they are innocent, but of course they are worried about this whole situation that they have had to live through,” German Hnatow told reporters.
On Wednesday another lawyer said the “sexual relations” had been consensual.
“There are witnesses who saw her leave [the hotel]. There are cameras that saw her leave. Apparently no injuries are seen in the footage,” Mariano Cuneo Libarona told journalists.
French Rugby Federation (FFR) president Florian Gill, who is in Argentina, also told AFP that the players had “quite a different version of events”.
“We are not judges. We are not investigators. But we think that the Argentine justice system should look at the case very quickly,” he said.
SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS:
Content Warning: This story contains details that some readers may find distressing.
Her lawyer states that she left a nightclub with one of the men and went to his hotel room, where she claims she was raped “at least six times” by one man and once by another.
Ms Romano told AFP that her client endured “fierce” violence, resulting in injuries to her face, back, breasts, legs, and ribs, along with numerous bite and scratch marks.
Ms Romano added that the woman was held against her will for several hours and made multiple attempts to escape.
Highest-paid players in the world:
As reported by Wales Online, let’s delve deeper into the earnings of today’s highest-paid rugby players.
Siya Kolisi (South Africa) – £800,000
Siya Kolisi, the inspirational Springbok captain, has enjoyed considerable success both on and off the field. His reported salary of £800,000 at Racing 92 reflects his value to the team and his standing as one of the sport’s most influential figures.
Maro Itoje (England) – £800,000
Maro Itoje, the towering English lock, has been the subject of considerable speculation regarding his future earnings. While his reported salary of £800,000 with Saracens is impressive, potential hybrid deals with the RFU could see his income increase even further, highlighting his importance to both club and country.
