Pallade Veneta - Prosecutors seek dismissal of rape charges against French rugby players

Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou, both aged 21, were held for nearly two months in Argentina in connection with the alleged attack on a 39-year-old woman on the night of July 6 before being allowed return to France last month.

They deny raping the complainant in a hotel room in Mendoza, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) west of Argentina's capital Buenos Aires, saying the sex was consensual.

The prosecutor's office in Mendoza recommended that the charges of aggravated rape -- a charge used for suspected gang rape -- be dismissed at a hearing set for October 18.

"The defense called for the charges to be dismissed and the prosecution supports a dismissal and has asked the judge for a hearing," Martin Ahumada, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office told AFP.

The players' Argentine lawyer Rafael Cuneo told AFP he was "satisfied" with the prosecution's request for a dismissal and said the case "should be a wake-up call to reflect on wrongful accusations against people who are innocent".

Auradou and Jegou were arrested two days after winning their first international caps for France against Argentina in Mendoza.

The woman, whom they met in a nightclub, alleged they assaulted her viciously in the hotel room.

A psychological assessment of the woman ordered by the prosecution however showed "a series of inconsistencies and contradictions" in her testimony and concluded that her version of events was "not plausible."

The two players have returned to training with their clubs.

Auradou will start a match for his top-flight side Pau in Perpignan on Saturday.

His club coach Sebastien Piqueronies said at a press conference on Friday: "You've seen him training with us and the day has come to get him on a rugby field and that will be tomorrow.

"There is nothing to prevent him from playing rugby, he is presumed innocent," he added.

D.Vanacore--PV