Jegou – Auradou affair: “Like a mother with her son in prison”, the relatives of the rugby players received at the prosecution in Argentina

Les deux rugbymen sont toujours en détention. – Montage

Des proches des deux joueurs de l’équipe de France de rugby, détenus depuis une semaine en Argentine et inculpés pour viol aggravé, ont été reçus lundi au parquet de Mendoza (nord-ouest), ont indiqué un porte-parole et un avocat.

Monday morning, the parents of the second line of Pau (south-west), Hugo Auradou, 20 years old – former rugby player David Auradou and his wife Marie – left the scene accompanied by defense lawyers without making any statements.

Questioned about their state of mind, one of the lawyers, Me Rafael Cuneo, indicated that Ms. Auradou feels "like a mother with her son in prison accused of rape, of course she is worried".

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"France is worried, rugby is worried, I am worried. We are obviously worried and we will work with all the seriousness in the world to prove their innocence", added the lawyer to the press. An aunt of the third line of La Rochelle (west) Oscar Jegou, 21, whose name was not revealed, was also part of the group, according to the spokesperson for the Mendoza prosecutor's office, Martin Ahumada .

Consensual relationship ?

"The prosecution and defense are gathering evidence", did he declare. Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou were charged with aggravated rape, committed in a meeting, on Friday by the Mendoza public prosecutor's office where the facts denounced by the complainant, a 39-year-old woman, took place.

The players claim that the sexual relationship was consensual and deny having acted with violence. Placed in detention, the examination of their request for placement under house arrest should take "at least ten days", specified Friday the Mendoza public prosecutor's office.

Also read: Jegou-Auradou affair: the two players were indicted for aggravated rape and face 20 years in prison in Argentina

Natacha Romano, one of the plaintiff's lawyers, told AFP that her client had met Hugo Auradou in a nightclub where the players went after the match of the French team against Argentina, on July 6 in Mendoza, then accompanied him to his room in the hotel occupied by the players and staff of the XV of France.

She then accuses him of having raped her several times and beaten her, as well as Oscar Jegou, who arrived shortly after in the room he shared with his friend . If found guilty, the two young men face eight to 20 years in prison.