Two of France’s biggest international soccer stars are to face trial for allegedly soliciting an underaged prostitute, in one of the most high-profile sex scandals to hit French sport.
Franck Ribery, who plays for the German club Bayern Munich, and Karim Benzema, a striker at Real Madrid in Spain, have been ordered to stand trial over allegations of paid sexual encounters with Zahia Dehar, who was under the age of 18 at the time. They will appear with six other defendants, some of whom will be prosecuted for “aggravated pimping.”
The long-running case, which began as a police investigation into allegations of prostitution at an expensive nightclub near the Champs Elysees, tarnished the image of French soccer, upset the French team during its fraught 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa and has become a celebrity saga in France.
Photo: AFP
Dehar told investigators that Benzema had paid for sex with her in 2008, when she was 16. She further claimed that Ribery had paid for sex with her the following year. He allegedly flew her to Munich as a 26th “birthday present” to himself. Ribery, a convert to Islam who is married with three children and had been hugely popular in France for his image as a wholesome family man, told police he had not known Dehar was underage.
Asked by Paris Match magazine whether she had been Ribery’s “birthday gift,” Dehar replied: “I’m a pretty present, aren’t I?”
She told investigators that neither soccer player had known her real age.
Photo: AFP
In November last year, the Paris state prosecutor requested that the case against the players be dropped on the grounds that they did not know that Dehar was under 18. However, the investigating judge in charge of the case decided differently and this week sent it to trial. Both players face a possible three years in prison or a 45,000 euro (US$55,508) fine if found guilty.
When the footballers were first placed under formal investigation in July 2010, Ribery’s lawyer said a legal case would have to prove that the player had known Dehar’s age, “which isn’t the case.”
Benzema’s lawyer said on Tuesday that he was innocent and would explain himself in court.
The case began in 2009 when police were investigating an alleged pimping network in a central Paris bar called the Zaman Cafe. It has in recent months moved from the crime and sports pages to the fashion sections: the designer Karl Lagerfeld has taken the Algerian-born Dehar, who is now 20 and a designer, under his wing and her lingerie collections have shown at Paris fashion week. Artists Pierre et Gilles have painted her and she has graced the covers of glossy magazines.
However, the three-year legal investigation into alleged pimping and illegal underage sex pointed to a harsher reality behind the glamor of Paris’ exclusive bars, where Dehar said she once met clients. Born in Algeria, Dehar moved to the Paris suburbs after her parents’ divorce and began going to VIP bars in central Paris in her teens.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
RSS