French striker Wissam Ben Yedder accused of sexual abuse

French footballer Wissam Ben Yedder was arrested over the weekend and will stand trial on charges of “sexual assault while intoxicated,” a judicial official told The Associated Press on Monday.

Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli told the AP that the Public Prosecution Service has appealed the decision not to hold Ben Yedder any longer after the player was released following his arrest.

Sports newspaper L’Equipe reported earlier on Monday that Ben Yedder, who has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season, has been summoned to appear in court and placed under judicial supervision.

According to Martinelli, the trial is scheduled for October 15.

The prosecutor did not provide further details about the case.

L’Equipe reported that Ben Yedder was arrested after a woman born in 2001 filed a lawsuit for sexual abuse. The alleged events took place in Ben Yedder’s car on Friday night, the newspaper added.

In another trial last year, Ben Yedder was charged with “rape, attempted rape and sexual assault” in connection with a separate incident in the south of France.

Ben Yedder, 34, scored 16 goals and provided three assists in the French league last season, helping Monaco to second place behind Paris Saint-Germain.

In five seasons at Monaco, the France international scored 118 goals in 201 games in all competitions, making him the club’s second all-time top scorer behind retired Argentine striker Delio Onnis (223).

Ben Yedder played 19 international matches for France, the last in June 2022.