“Edema in the glottis”, “bruises inside the legs”: the story of Soledad, alleged victim of the Jegou-Auradou affair

In an excerpt from the program Envoyé Spécial broadcast on September 3, 2024 in the 8 p.m. news on France 2, the plaintiff, Soledad, gives her version of the facts in the case between her and the two rugby players Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou.

While Soledad, a 39-year-old Argentinian, maintains that she was raped in early July in a hotel room in Mendoza, Argentina, by Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou, they dispute her version of events.

“He lifted me up by the neck”

In an excerpt from the program Envoyé Spécial which will be broadcast this Thursday evening on France 2 and broadcast at 8 p.m. on September 3, the complainant gives her testimony.

In the video, which is a reconstruction, Soledad explains that she was “brutalized” and “considered a piece of meat” by both players.

In a longer excerpt posted on X (formerly Twitter), she recounts: “I went to the bathroom and asked him, “Please let me go home” because it was late”.

In the voice messages shared to Envoyé Spécial, she continues: “He pulled me out of bed while I was naked and lifted me by the neck, so much so that I had no more oxygen”.

A few moments later, Oscar Jegou entered the room and abused her despite her pleas, claims Soledad, who describes the injuries she suffered: “Bruises around the eyes, on the face, on the outside and inside of the legs, […] swelling in the glottis and others in the left jaw", among others.

The charges are not dropped

This Tuesday, September 3, the two French rugby players were authorized by the courts to leave the South American country "from now on", announced the provincial justice of Mendoza (west). They should arrive in France on Wednesday afternoon.

While the lawyer for the two players, Me Antoine Vey, claims that “the decision that has just been rendered […] exonerates them", the two 21-year-old internationals remain charged with aggravated gang rape.

The alleged events allegedly occurred during the night of July 6 to 7 in a hotel room in Mendoza, where the French XV had just won a test match against Argentina.