Charges dropped against Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou after five-month legal battle

Since early July, Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, two French rugby players, had been indicted in Argentina for aggravated rape. The allegations stemmed from an incident in a hotel in Mendoza during a XV de France tour.

On Tuesday, December 10, Argentine justice ruled for a dismissal of charges during a closed-door hearing, effectively ending the case against the two players. The decision, announced by their lawyers, is not yet final, as the plaintiff has already signaled her intention to appeal.

A divisive verdict
One of the French players’ lawyers, German Hnatow, stated: “The act was consensual, no crime was committed, and there is no doubt about their innocence.” Antoine Vey, their Paris-based lawyer, added that his clients were victims of false accusations and welcomed their judicial exoneration.

The plaintiff, a 39-year-old woman, had accused Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou of violent assaults allegedly occurring on the night of July 6-7 in a hotel room in Mendoza, following a XV de France victory against Argentina. In a televised interview in September, she described the night as one of “savage brutality and terrible violence.” According to her lawyer, the psychological trauma remains significant.

For their part, the two players, both 21 years old, admitted to a sexual encounter but maintained that it was consensual. Their defense relied on hotel surveillance footage and inconsistencies in the plaintiff’s account.

Gradual return to rugby
Initially held in pre-trial detention and later placed under house arrest in Mendoza, the players were released in mid-August and returned to France in September. Since then, Hugo Auradou resumed competition with Pau in October, while Oscar Jegou returned to play with La Rochelle in November.

Lingering questions
Despite the judicial outcome, some uncertainties persist. A medical report had documented around fifteen injuries on the plaintiff’s body, but their origin remains unclear. Upon the players’ release, the prosecution highlighted “notable contradictions and inconsistencies” in the plaintiff’s testimony, supporting the decision to drop the charges.

The next phase of the case will depend on the appeal filed by the plaintiff’s legal team. For now, however, this ruling represents a significant milestone for Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou.