Ex-France international Ben Yedder to stand trial on rape charges

Former French international Wissam Ben Yedder will stand trial for alleged rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault, the prosecutor’s office in Nice told AFP on Monday. 

The 35-year-old’s brother Sabri will also stand trial for rape and sexual assault. Both were indicted in 2023 following accusations, which they deny, made by two young women they met at a party.

The investigating judge followed the prosecution’s recommendation that the brothers be tried for rape and sexual assault, adding the charge of attempted rape for Wissam Ben Yedder. 

His lawyer, Sophia Kerbaa, announced later on Monday that she will appeal against the decision. 

Ben Yedder “has vehemently contested the charges against him since the beginning of these proceedings,” she said.

For several months the 19-times capped former international, who now plays in Turkey, has been making more headlines in the courts than on the field. 

In early September, he was fined €90,000 ($105,000) by the Nice criminal court for psychological abuse of his wife, from whom he is currently separated and in the process of divorcing.

He was also given a six-month suspended sentence by a Spanish court in 2023 for tax fraud during his 2016-19 spell at Sevilla.

In November 2024, he received a suspended two-year jail sentence for sexually assaulting a woman two months earlier.

The former Monaco player had been without a club since his contract with the principality side expired in June 2024, but in April he went to Iran to try and revive his career with Sepahan SC. 

That move was short-lived and in early September, Ben Yedder signed with Turkish second division side Sakaryaspor.