By David Gold
August 16 – French stars Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema are to be called before a judge to answer allegations that they paid a 16-year-old for sex.
The duo, arguably the two best players in the French national team, have been under investigation in connection with sleeping with Zahia Dehar, who was 16 at the time.
Both players’ lawyers have requested the case be dropped on the basis that they were unaware Dehar was underage.
Prosecutors had last year said the case should be closed for that reason.
“Karim Benzema is innocent and will explain himself in front of the court,” Benzema’s attorney, Sylvain Cormier, told Reuters.
Benzema (pictured above, right), who plays for Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich’s Ribéry (pictured above, left) will appear with six other defendants in the case.
A three-year prison sentence and a fine could be handed out as punishment, although that would be in an extreme case, and on the basis of the offender knowing the girl’s age.
The allegations against the pair were a distraction for France when they came to light before the 2010 World Cup, as they turned into a significant celebrity drama in the country.
France experienced a miserable time at that World Cup, with a player’s strike the low point as they crashed out in the group stage after winning only one point.
The country’s football has been marred in recent years by a number of their highest profile players’ off-field indiscretions.
As well as this affair involving Benzema and Ribéry and the player’s strike in 2010, this year’s European Championship ended in turmoil with four players hauled before the French Football Federation (FFF) on various charges following poor behaviour during the UEFA competition.
Samir Nasri (pictured above, left) swore at a journalist after their quarter-final defeat to Spain, Hatem Ben Arfa (pictured above, second left) rowed with coach Laurent Blanc, Jérémy Ménez (pictured above, right) had a dispute with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Yann M’Vila (pictured above, second right) refused to shake the hand of either Blanc or Olivier Giroud when substituted during the competition.
Nasri has been banned for three matches by the FFF, with Ménez missing one match and both Ben Arfa and M’Vila warned about their future conduct as a result.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734797756labto1734797756ofdlr1734797756owedi1734797756sni@d1734797756log.d1734797756ivad1734797756