France international rugby players Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou were on Thursday facing a second day under house arrest as they await trial for on charges of raping a 39-year-old woman following France's match against Argentina on 6 July in Mendoza.
Auradou, 20, and Jegou, 21, were arrested on 8 July in Buenos Aires as the France squad was on the verge of leaving for a match against Uruguay in Montevideo.
The woman accused them of raping her multiple times and beating her in a room at the Diplomatic Hotel in Mendoza, north-western Argentina.
Auradou and Jegou, who play for the French top flight sides Stade Palois and Stade Rochelais respectively, deny the accusation. They say they had consensual sexual relations with the woman.
“Given the level of evidence and the absence of procedural risk, it is possible to grant house arrest with personal bond for each of them,” said a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office in Mendoza.
“In addition, they will both be fitted with electronic bracelets."
The pair were charged with aggravated gang rape on 12 July. They face between eight and 20 years in prison if convicted.
Difference
On Tuesday, Florian Grill, the president of the French Rugby Federation, rejected suggestions that the tour of South America had been poorly managed.
"There is an extremely precise tour framework which has existed for years, based on autonomy and accountability," said Grill.
"This framework was not respected by the players. It's not the staff who are to blame."
Auradou and Jegou's alleged attack took place in the aftermath of the first Test against Argentina.
Both players had been called up to the senior squad after their stellar performances during France's surge to the crown at the 2023 World Rugby under-20 Championship.
The pair each made their senior debuts in the 28-13 win at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.
The alleged attack was taking place in the same post-match haze during which full-back Melvyn Jaminet posted a message on social media containing a racist comment.
"The first Arab I meet on the street, I'm going to head butt him," said the 25-year-old who plays for the French side RC Toulon.
Apology
The video was picked up by La France insoumise politician Sébastien Delogu and widely shared on social media.
Though Jaminet has apologised, he faces an end to his international and domestic career after the emergence of the video.
Jaminet will face club bosses in Toulon next week to discuss his remarks.
Carlo Alberto Brusa, a lawyer for the 25-year-old, told the French newspaper Midi Olympique: “All his friends say Melvyn has black, Arab or Muslim friends. There is not an ounce of racism in Melvyn's mind.
"If there was any hint of racism in my client, people would naturally have been talking about it since the video.”
However, even if Jaminet were to avoid severe domestic and international punishments, he is likely to face a changed environment around the France squad.
"We're going to increase the penalties, which will now be financial but could go as far as temporary or permanent exclusion from the French teams," Grill insisted.
"There will be zero tolerance. There will be a before and after Mendoza."
