Sports

Women’s Pro Footballer Detained after Brutal Attack on Teammate

Published

2 years ago

November 11, 2021

Police in France have detained Paris Saint-Germain women’s footballer Aminata Diallo in connection with a vicious assault on a teammate and fellow French national player.

Footballer Aminata Diallo was returning with fellow midfielder Kheira Hamraoui from a dinner organized by Paris Saint-Germain when armed men dragged Hamraoui out of her car then hit her on the legs with an iron bar.

Kheira Hamraoui was taken to a Paris hospital where she was treated for her injuries.

Hamraoui was absent from the football club on Tuesday for a Champions League game against Real Madrid at home, with Aminata Diallo taking her place in central midfield.

The football club said it was working with Paris police “to shed light on the facts. A spokesperson for the football club said they would be following the investigation and would wait for the conclusion of the investigation.

Since the attack, the football club said it has taken all the necessary measures to ensure the security of its players.

Attack shocked the footballer fans

Aminata Diallo, 26, was briefly held by Hamraoui’s attackers during the assault but was not injured, Paris police reported.

Diallo was detained by Paris police specialized in organized crime at her home, with her detention extended by 24 hours. The footballer could now remain in police detention until Friday.

A man who police believe could be linked to the attack was also taken into police custody in the central city of Lyon, a prosecutor said. The prosecutor also added that Ms. Diallo had spoken to police but had yet to obtain a lawyer.

The attack has since sent shockwaves through the Champions League football club and the women’s game in France. Above all, because the two footballers’ are considered friendly rivals for midfield position with PSG and in the national team.

The bizarre incident has prompted a comparison to when the ex-husband of American Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding arranged an attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan in the run-up to the 1994 Winter Olympics.