Appeal court dismisses rape case against former France forward Ben Yedder

A French appeals court on Thursday quashed the ruling that would have sent ex France international Wissam Ben Yedder to court over rape allegations due to insufficient proof according to judicial officials speaking to AFP.

In the previous year the prosecutors in Nice southern France had determined that the 35 year old should face charges of rape attempted rape and sexual assault.

However the Aix-en-Provence appeals court declared that there was no grounds for any prosecution the official stated.

We are delighted by this outcome My client has consistently denied any wrongdoing his attorney Sophia Kerbaa said to AFP.

Ben Yedder who joined Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in January along with his brother Sabri faced formal charges in 2023 following claims from two young women they encountered at a social gathering.

The pair had been directed to trial in the prior year.

The ex Monaco and Sevilla player has attracted more attention in legal matters than on the field lately.

In September he received a 90000 euro fine about 106000 dollars from the Nice criminal court for emotional mistreatment of his spouse from whom he is separating.

He was found guilty in Spain in 2023 of tax evasion while at Sevilla and got a two year suspended term in France in 2024 for sexual misconduct in another incident which he is challenging.

Following his departure from Monaco in 2024 Ben Yedder had brief spells playing in Iran and Turkey prior to moving to Wydad.

This decision arrives amid ongoing separate rape inquiries involving prominent players such as PSGs Achraf Hakimi and ex Arsenal star Thomas Partey in France and England.