Aminata Diallo arrested for allegedly orchestrating Kheira Hamraoui attack
Soccer may have its own version of Tonya Harding.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Aminata Diallo was arrested for her connection to an attack on teammate Kheira Hamraoui, L’Equipe reported Wednesday morning.
After a team outing in Paris on Nov. 4, which both Diallo and Hamraoui attended, two masked men pulled Hamraoui out of her car and attacked her legs with an iron bar.
The 31-year-old was taken to a hospital and required stitches for leg injuries, ESPN reported. She reportedly also sustained hand injuries.
On the night of the attack, Hamraoui was in Diallo’s car with two other PSG teammates, according to ESPN. When the car pulled up to her home, Hamraoui was approached by the two male assailants wearing balaclava ski masks. They reportedly dragged her out of the car and started hitting her legs with iron bars for two minutes before escaping the scene.
Diallo, 26, according to L’Equipe, allegedly orchestrated the attack in order to get more playing time. Both players are defensive midfielders and competing for a spot on the PSG team and French national side.
“Paris Saint-Germain take note of Aminata Diallo’s police custody this morning by the Versailles SRPJ as part of the proceedings initiated following an assault last Thursday evening against club players,” the team said in a statement.
“Since Thursday evening November 4, the Club has taken all the necessary measures to guarantee the health, well-being and safety of its players. Paris Saint-Germain is working with the Versailles SRPJ to shed light on the facts. The Club is attentive to the progress of the procedure and will study the follow-up to be given to it.”
Following the incident, Hamraoui missed PSG’s 4-0 win over Real Madrid on Tuesday — and Diallo started the match.
PSG’s third straight victory in the Champions League would’ve marked Hamraoui’s 100th appearance for the club.
Diallo joined PSG in 2016, after a stint at Atletico Madrid last season. Hamraoui returned to PSG in July on a two-year deal, following 67 appearances with the team from 2012-2016.
The incident brings to mind Harding allegedly being involved in an attack that injured figure skating rival Nancy Kerrigan before the 1994 Winter Olympics.
Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, hired two men to attack Kerrigan before the US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, which was one month before the Olympics in Norway.
One assailant, Shane Stant, struck Kerrigan’s knee with a baton after practice one day before the championships were set to begin. It caused severe bruising, which forced her to miss the event. All involved pleaded guilty to differing charges, including Harding taking a plea for conspiracy to hinder prosecution.
Kerrigan was healthy enough to compete in the Olympics and won the silver medal, while Harding finished eighth. Months later, Harding was banned for life by the United States Figure Skating Association.
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