French Rugby Players Set to Leave Argentina
Two French rugby players accused of alleged sexual assault in Argentina prepared to leave the country after a judge rejected a request by the plaintiff to extend the psychological examination of the accused.
The players were scheduled to fly back to France where they will remain until needed by the Argentine consulate.
Auradou and Jegou were detained during a tour of South America in July following the sexual assault allegations. The players have denied the allegations and said the sexual encounter was consensual.
During a hearing in Mendoza, about 1,000 kilometers west of Buenos Aires, the plaintiff's attorneys did not oppose a prosecution recommendation to authorize the pair to depart Argentina, meaning they can "leave the country from this moment," the court said in a press release.
Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou – both 21 – were arrested in Buenos Aires two days after winning their first international caps against Argentina in Mendoza in early July. They were charged with the aggravated rape of a 39-year-old woman who claimed they raped and beat her in a Mendoza hotel room after their match. The men deny the accusation, saying they had consensual sexual relations with the woman.
Rugby players lawyer, Rafael Cuneo Libarona, saying "This is a very important first step, perhaps more important than the nolle prosequi because the authorization to leave the country means the Mendoza justice system trusted our work. Mendoza justice considered all the evidence we obtained during these 50 days of hard work. That's why I say this is probably more important than the nolle prosequi. The nolle prosequi will be a second stage, I have no doubt we'll achieve it in close to ten days. Today the boys needed to return to their country."
They were first held in a Mendoza prison and later released on house arrest before being allowed to return to the Argentine capital last week pending a request for charges to be dismissed against them. A date for that hearing has yet to be set.
