Football: A former French youth international placed in custody for alleged sexual assaults on minors

The Hippolyte Dangbeto case has taken a new legal turn. The former French defender of Beninese origin, who played in the French first division in the 1990s, has been placed in pretrial detention as part of an investigation into alleged sexual assaults on two teenage girls. The alleged incidents took place between 2019 and 2025, according to the regional daily newspaper "L'Indépendant".

Indicted approximately three months ago, Hippolyte Dangbeto is now in custody. The accusations concern two young girls, whose testimonies led investigators to look into alleged events that occurred over several years.

The first complainant is a member of the former footballer's family. According to the newspaper, Dangbeto has admitted to repeatedly sexually assaulting this teenager.

The second case concerns a young girl who was 16 years old at the time of the alleged incidents. She attended the sports association founded by the former player in the Pyrénées-Orientales region. The alleged assaults reportedly took place during several trips organized as part of the association's activities. Unlike in the first case, the accused denies these allegations.

The legal proceedings are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the allegations against the former French youth international. He has been placed in pretrial detention pending the outcome of the investigation.

Aged 56, Hippolyte Dangbeto played more than 200 matches in the French first division between 1988 and 1995. During his career, the full-back notably played for Racing Paris, SM Caen, Perpignan FC, Troyes and Sedan.

He also represented the French under-21 team around ten times. Wearing the French jersey, he played alongside several players who have left their mark on French football, including Zinédine Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu, Emmanuel Petit, and Christophe Dugarry.

Today, his name is at the heart of a particularly serious legal case. The charges against him remain subject to judicial review.