FRENCH POLICE ‘DETAIN FOOTBALLERS’ IN SEX INQUIRY
Baku, July 20 (AZERTAC). French police have detained football internationals Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema as part of an investigation into an alleged under-age prostitution ring, legal and police sources say.
Earlier, they were questioned at the request of an investigating magistrate looking into allegations that a Paris nightclub gave access to under-age girls working as prostitutes.
Police have until Thursday morning to decide whether to release them.
Both players have denied wrong-doing.
One of the women who is alleged to have met clients at the club while she was under age, Zahia Dehar, has already told investigators that she had paid sex with the two players.
Mr Ribery`s lawyer told reporters in front of the police station where her client was questioned, that Mr. Ribery had had no idea the woman was under 18 when he had paid for sex with her in 2009.
Under French law, paid sex with someone under the age of 18 is regarded as sex with a minor - even if the general age of consent is 15 - and punishable by three years in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (£38,000).
Ms. Dehar, now 18, said she never told her age either to Mr. Ribery, who plays for Bayern Munich, or Mr. Benzema, a Real Madrid player.
Mr. Benzema has previously denied any wrongdoing through his lawyer.
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