(Reuters) -France rugby players Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou have been arrested in Argentina following an allegation of sexual assault during their tour of South America, French Rugby Federation (FFR) President Florian Grill said on Monday.
France beat Argentina 28-13 last weekend in Mendoza and are scheduled to play Uruguay in Montevideo on Wednesday before returning to Buenos Aires to face Argentina on Saturday.
Openside flanker Jegou and lock Auradou started Saturday’s match against the Pumas, both making their senior international debuts.
Asked about the identities of the players involved, Grill told a press conference in Argentina: “They came out in the (Argentine) press: Jegou and Auradou.
“There is an ongoing investigation. Jean-Marc (Lhermet, FFR vice-president) and I have just flown in from Paris. If the facts are confirmed, they are incredibly serious.
“Our thoughts must already be with the young woman. If, once again, this is true, it goes against everything that rugby does, builds and is, everything that the 2,000 amateur clubs who bring amateur rugby to life on a daily basis do.
“I don’t have any details. I can’t say what happened. An investigation is underway… They’re in a police station. Someone from the delegation went to see them to bring them some food. We’re going to try to go back and see them too.”
Reuters has contacted the local court for confirmation.
Reuters has been unable to contact the players and there was no immediate statement from the two men or lawyers representing them.
“If the investigation establishes the alleged facts, they constitute an unspeakable atrocity,” French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera wrote in a post on X.
“Our thoughts are with the victim. Thank you to Florian Grill for his fair words and his emotion, which we all share this morning. I remain in contact with the federation and our embassy there.”
The arrests followed fullback Melvyn Jaminet being sent home from the tour and suspended on Sunday after a video on social media showed him making a racist comment.
The 25-year-old, who plays for Top 14 club Toulon, was seen saying, “the first Arab I come across, I’ll throw him a headbutt” in a video that was widely shared.
Jaminet has since apologised for his comments in a post on Instagram.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Ed Osmond)
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