Two French professional rugby players accused of raping a woman are available for selection for the 2025 Guinness Six Nations after their alleged rape case was dropped in Argentina on Tuesday.
A judge in Mendoza, about 1,000 km (620 miles) west of the capital Buenos Aires, dismissed the case against 21-year-old athletes Hugo Auradu and Oscar Jegu, citing insufficient evidence.
“The investigated facts do not constitute a crime,” said the court.
The case began in July, when a 39-year-old Argentinian woman filed a complaint with the police, claiming that she was beaten, strangled and repeatedly raped by rugby players in their hotel room in Mendoza.
The rugby players admitted having sex with the plaintiff during a boozy club night after Argentina’s win over Pumas on July 7, but insisted the encounter was consensual.They were remanded in custody , then house arrest for one month.
The defense said the dismissal strengthened their faith in the justice system.
“I think it will be a turning point,” German Hnatou, a lawyer representing one of the two players, told local radio station Radio Miter Mendoza.
The applicant can appeal the decision. He has not said if he plans to, and his attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
Over the past few months, the case has slowly unraveled as the defense poked holes in the woman’s account of events.
Citing questionable evidence presented to the court, including WhatsApp voice messages the plaintiff sent to her boyfriend joking and bragging about rough sex, the prosecution approved the return of the athletes to France in September under certain conditions.
The plaintiff’s attorney explained any inconsistencies in his statement as the result of his “shock and extreme stress.”
As part of the investigation, he underwent physical examinations and was found to have an acute bleeding ulcer and other injuries, which he said were related to his assault.
The French Rugby Federation expressed its “relief and satisfaction” regarding the judge’s decision. It said athletes who were suspended because of the seriousness of the charges would be eligible to return to the national team “if their sporting performances allow it”.
