Argentina Formally Charges 2 Rugby Players From France of Rape

Two international rugby players from France have now been formally charged with aggravated rape in Argentina after they were accused of sexually assaulting a woman inside a hotel room. The two Frenchmen were recently arrested a few days ago and have continued to deny any wrongdoing.

Hugo Auradou, 20, and Oscar Jegou, 21, both French citizens, reportedly tried to rape an Argentine woman after a night out following a match in Mendoza, Argentina where France took on Argentina in a friendly. They were arrested soon after the 39-year-old alleged victim reported them to police.

The prosecutor's office in Mendoza released a statement that revealed that t it had "proceeded to formally charge the two French citizens... for the crime of sexual assault with penetration, aggravated by the participation of two people."

According to France 24, the two rugby players will remain in Argentinian custody "as further investigations are carried out." The defense team representing them did request that they be placed under house arrest, though that request "will be resolved in due course," read the statement.

The French rugby players' lead attorney, German Hnatow, told reporters that his clients would give a statement "which is consistent and congruent, and of course, is quite different from what the victim has said."

The attorney added that his clients were "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."

Outrage in France and Argentina Over French Players Allegedly Raping Woman

While rugby is not as popular in France and Argentina as soccer, the incident has still caused an international commotion as many in both Argentina and France have become quite angry at the two players for their conduct.

The rage is especially true in Argentina, where recent scandals involving professional athletes have prompted questions within the greater sports community about misogyny and sexual violence, according to the Associated Press.

The two men were part of the French National Rugby Team, which is currently on tour in South America. They were arrested last Monday and are facing a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years in prison for aggravated sexual assault, which has a maximum of 20 years in prison.

France Sounds Off on Arrests of 2 of Its Rugby Players in Argentina

The two men allegedly met the woman at a nightclub in Mendoza. They took her to their hotel room where they subjected her to "violent, non-consensual sexual acts and prevented her from leaving."

The French Minister for Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, stated, "If the investigation establishes the alleged facts, they constitute an unspeakable atrocity."

Meanwhile, Florian Grill, president of the French Rugby Federation, also sounded off on the accusations, telling the media, "If the facts are real, they are incredibly serious," adding that he does not have details on the incident yet, according to CNN.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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