The case against Oscar Jégou and Hugo Araudou, the two French rugby players who were accused of raping a woman in Mendoza last July, was dismissed on Tuesday. 

The case began after a woman accused the players of sexual assault following a game the French national team played in Mendoza in early July 2024. The incident allegedly took place the night of the match in the hotel where the team was staying. Jégou and Araudou were arrested in Buenos Aires on July 9 and were later taken to Mendoza under custody of the province’s judiciary. 

A psychological profile of the accuser conducted in September determined that her telling of the events “presented evidence of manipulation to justify her participation in the events.” The document went on to say that her version became “incoherent and illogical,” pointing to “contradictions between different parts, vague descriptions, and voluntary omissions.” 

In November, the judge rejected evidence and testimonies presented by the victim’s lawyer.

According to a press release by the Mendoza judiciary, Judge Eleonora Arenas of Mendoza’s First Criminal Court dismissed the case after determining that the incident under investigation does not fit the definition of a crime.

Defending lawyer Rafael Cúneo Libarona — brother of Justice Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona — said that the decision proves that the players never committed sexual assault. “The court underlined the inconsistency of the accuser’s claims, which changed depending on what they needed to fit their situation,” he added.

In July, the woman’s lawyer, Ana Natacha Romano, described the assault as “abhorrent” on radio station Radio Mitre. She went on to say that the woman sustained injuries to her face, chest, back, and legs and showed signs of attempted strangulation.

The case sparked a big reaction from sports authorities in France at the time. French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wrote on her X account that “if the investigation establishes the alleged facts, they constitute an unspeakable atrocity.”

On September 2, both players were granted parole and allowed to return to France. They have not returned to the country since. According to Cúneo Libarona, the players and their families are now debating whether to present a defamation case against the woman.