Former PSG player Aminata Diallo arrested, charged in brutal attack on teammate
French soccer player Aminata Diallo, formerly of Paris Saint-Germain, has been arrested and charged with aggravated violence in connection to the Nov. 2021 attack on her then-teammate Kheira Hamraoui.
Diallo, a midfielder, is being kept in custody on the order of the judge. She was arrested Friday following the apprehension of four men who admitted to being involved in the attack.
"All four alleged Diallo was the instigator of the assault, in order to allow her to be given the place of the victim [in the PSG team] in future games," the Versailles prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Diallo was also arrested last year as part of the original investigation, but was released. She denied any connection to the crime. But according to ESPN, Diallo's phone was tapped as part of the investigation and police discovered she was planning another attack on Hamraoui. Diallo's contract with PSG ended last year and was not renewed.
The 2021 attack
On Nov. 4, 2021, Diallo was driving Hamraoui home from a team meal when the car was stopped by two masked men wielding an iron bar. One man pinned Diallo in the driver's seat while the other dragged Hamraoui from the car and beat her legs and arms with the metal bar.
Hamraoui was taken to the hospital for treatment, where she needed stitches on her arms and legs. That kept her out of action for awhile, but she returned to playing earlier this year.
Hamraoui speaks about attack for first time
While Hamraoui has recovered physically from the attack, it continues to affect her mental health. She opened up about the attack and the ensuing social media harassment for the first time on Saturday, tweeting a letter along with photos of her injuries.
“I will never forget that night of Nov. 4, 2021. It haunts me night and day. That dark night changed my personal and professional life, my life as a woman and as a footballer player,” Hamraoui wrote via a translation from the Associated Press. “That sad night when I thought I was going to die when two hooded men forced me to get out of the car. They pummeled me with iron bars, essentially aiming for my lower body.”
“For long months after the assault, I was unfairly insulted on the (soccer) pitches, harassed on social networks and had my life threatened. Nevertheless, I held on with all my strength to my passion (of soccer) and to stay professional,” she said. “Today I trust in the justice system for the truth to all come out and for my honor to be saved.”
