Paris Saint-Germain soccer player Aminata Diallo has been arrested.
The 26-year-old French midfielder was taken into police custody on Nov. 10, Paris Saint-Germain confirmed. According to the soccer club's statement, her arrest was "part of the proceedings opened following an attack on the Club's players last Thursday evening." The club did not disclose the name of the players that were attacked.
On Thursday, Nov. 4, Diallo's Paris Saint-Germain teammate and fellow midfielder Kheira Hamraoui, 31, was in Diallo's car after a dinner when two masked men allegedly dragged Hamraoui out of the car and hit her on the legs with a metal bar, The New York Times reported, citing "news media reports confirmed by the French police."
According to The New York Times, the French police "confirmed in a statement that her detention was related to Hamraoui's complaint, though they did not explicitly link Diallo to the assault, and refused to comment for the record."
"Paris Saint-Germain condemns in the strongest possible terms the violence committed," the club's statement continued. Since Thursday evening the Club has taken all necessary measures to guarantee the health, well-being and safety of its entire women's team. Paris Saint-Germain is working with the Versailles Police to clarify the facts. The Club is paying close attention to the progress of the proceedings and will study what action to take."
Diallo replaced Hamraoui in the Champions League game against Real Madrid on Tuesday, Nov. 9, The New York Times reported.
The developing news story has sparked memories of the infamous 1994 scandal involving American ice skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and friend Shawn Eckardt contracted hit man Shane Stant, who clubbed Kerrigan's leg ahead of the World Championships and Winter Olympics.
Stant was convicted of conspiring to assault Kerrigan and was sentenced to prison. Gillooly and Eckardt ultimately pleaded guilty to racketeering and also served time in prison. Harding pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution, was sentenced to three years of probation and agreed to resign from U.S. amateur figure skating.