France soccer star Wissam Ben Yedder, brother charged with rape

French footballer Wissam Ben Yedder is facing charges of rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault, as announced by authorities in the southern region of France, AFP reported Friday.

The Nice prosecutor's office officially revealed the initiation of legal proceedings against the forward, a member of AS Monaco and the French national team.

According to local sources, the alleged incident occurred in July in the Beausoleil area of the Côte d'Azur. 

According to radio station France Info, two women, aged 19 and 20, accused Ben Yedder and his younger brother, of having "forced them into sexual acts" after a night out.

Ben Yedder's brother has also been indicted on the same charges.

According to reports from AFP, a bail amount of €900,000 ($990,000; £775,000) has been proposed.

While awaiting his trial, he has been subjected to judicial oversight, entailing specific obligations mandated by the court.

The 32-year-old Wissam Ben Yedder has won 19 caps for France but last played international football in June 2022.

Ben Yedder, who previously played for Toulouse and Sevilla, has scored 98 goals for Monaco since joining the principality club in 2019.

He was present at training with Monaco on Friday ahead of their Ligue 1 season opener against Clermont on Sunday.

In April, Ben Yedder was convicted of tax fraud by a Spanish court during his time at Sevilla and was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 133,798 euros ($149,753).