French police have detained football internationals Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema as part of an investigation into an alleged under-age prostitution ring, legal and police sources say.

Earlier, they were questioned at the request of an investigating magistrate looking into allegations that a Paris nightclub gave access to under-age girls working as prostitutes.

Police have until Thursday morning to decide whether to release them.

Both players have denied wrong-doing.

One of the women who is alleged to have met clients at the club while she was under age, Zahia Dehar, has already told investigators that she had paid sex with the two players.

Mr Ribery's lawyer told reporters in front of the police station where her client was questioned, that Mr Ribery had had no idea the woman was under 18 when he had paid for sex with her in 2009.

"It is an intentional offence, he would have to know her age, which wasn't the case," Sophie Bottai said.

"She would have to look minor, which wasn't the case; she would have to tell him she was minor, which wasn't the case, since all over the press she claimed that she was adult and that she was more than 20 years old."

Under-age sex illegal

Under French law, paid sex with someone under the age of 18 is regarded as sex with a minor - even if the general age of consent is 15 - and punishable by three years in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (£38,000).

Ms Dehar, now 18, said she never told her age either to Mr Ribery, who plays for Bayern Munich, or Mr Benzema, a Real Madrid player.

Mr Benzema has previously denied any wrongdoing through his lawyer.

Earlier this year, police launched a raid on a Champs-Elysees nightclub called the Zaman Cafe and detained 18 girls on suspicion of prostitution.

Ms Dehar was not among them, although her name was already known to investigators, who had been carrying out phone taps on the cafe's managers, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10696242

Come on who hasn't had an underage hooker from time to time. Total over reaction by the Gendarmerie.......no?

Probably means we'll be signing both of them

Come on who hasn't had an underage hooker from time to time. Total over reaction by the Gendarmerie.......no?

sorry, inappropriate remark deleted!

Edited July 20, 201015 yr by moi

Can't they get laid without having to pay a prostitute? Bloody hell

Can't they get laid without having to pay a prostitute? Bloody hell

Have you had a good look at them?

All they have to do is claim they're underage as well, and they'll be fine, the age of consent being 15.

Seriously, underage prostitution is horrible. What a life those girls must have, and the future probably won't be much better.

Wow, somehow I thought this story would be buried. Interesting times ahead for French football

Wow, somehow I thought this story would be buried. Interesting times ahead for French football

I wonder if it would have been buried if they had won the world cup. Maybe them being a bit sh*t gave the police fresh impetuous.

Wow...surprised this has been pursued. Can't see anthing serious coming out of it. As terrible as the defense of Ribery's lawyer is (saying 'she doesn't look like shes under 18....prove how he should know'), she is the oldest looking 18 year old I've ever seen. that said, I have't seen her at age 16 so perhaps she aged quickly.

However, if we sign Rooney and Ribery, do we get a world class team that only employs 20-30 year old hookers?

Come on who hasn't had an underage hooker from time to time. Total over reaction by the Gendarmerie.......no?

meh, if guilty he can always just hop over to Switzerland apaprently!

All they have to do is claim they're underage as well, and they'll be fine, the age of consent being 15.

Seriously, underage prostitution is horrible. What a life those girls must have, and the future probably won't be much better.

I'm sure *some* prostitutes have awful lives, but I think your sweeping statement is probably untrue in a lot of cases too. I imagine that 17 year old girl made more on that one night than some of her friends would make in a year.

(edit) here she is, the poor girl - http://www.rakball.net/Rakballworld/pics/20100422613_02.jpg

Edited July 20, 201015 yr by blizeH

Have you had a good look at them?

All they have to do is claim they're underage as well, and they'll be fine, the age of consent being 15.

Seriously, underage prostitution is horrible. What a life those girls must have, and the future probably won't be much better.

I'm sure *some* prostitutes have awful lives, but I think your sweeping statement is probably untrue in a lot of cases too. I imagine that 17 year old girl made more on that one night than some of her friends would make in a year.

(edit) here she is, the poor girl - http://www.rakball.n...00422613_02.jpg

I suspect Valerie's "sweeping" statement is probably true in most cases. The youngster is earning a lot of money now because she's in her prime. She earns it by submitting to men who are too ugly or too lazy to be bothered to make the effort to have a sexual relationship with a person they know. Or they want services that other women are not prepared to provide. Don't know how old you are, blizeH, but would you be happy for your daughter to earn her living like that?

I suspect Valerie's "sweeping" statement is probably true in most cases. The youngster is earning a lot of money now because she's in her prime. She earns it by submitting to men who are too ugly or too lazy to be bothered to make the effort to have a sexual relationship with a person they know. Or they want services that other women are not prepared to provide.

But lets not assume she's been abused etc etc automatically.

After all their was a lot of concern over teenage prostitues in the US. A lot of this concern was stemmed from many instances where High school girls from wealthy to middle class families (who were well taken care of) who, one their own and not involving a pimp or anything, willingly prostituted themselves out at malls so they can buy designer clothes and accessories.

There is a lot of cases where tragic circumstances put teens into prostitution(abuse/poverty etc), there are also cases (as I suspect with this incident) where the girl willingly puts themselves out there in order to acheive a higher material quality of life than they might otherwise earn in any other profession they enter.

And moi, a girl like that who can attract young not ugly multi millionaire footballers to pay her huge amounts of money for a temporary sexual relationship......I would imagine she is more taking them to the bank than submitting herself to them. These are guys who can probably get their fill for free from groupies/wannabe-golddiggers who probably arent too shabby on the eyes either. I think she is likely exploiting as much if not more than she is being exploited.

Don't know how old you are, blizeH, but would you be happy for your daughter to earn her living like that?

I wouldnt. But if she's goinna be a slut might as well make some money eh! :P

Edited July 20, 201015 yr by Barry Bridges

It's actually not a bad point. There are plenty of super slutty girls who randomly sleep with guys irresponsibly anyway, at least this one is making f**king loads of money out of it, and living a good lifestyle in the process.

Barry is right in that we shouldn't assume that every prostitute is a victim of terrible circumstances however at the same time maybe it is a little too demanding to expect 16 year olds to make wise and informed decisions without then resorting to accusing them of being sluts desperate for the best that shops can provide.

For me prositution should be totally legal and maybe then teenage girls would be better protected than they currently are.

It's actually not a bad point. There are plenty of super slutty girls who randomly sleep with guys irresponsibly anyway, at least this one is making f**king loads of money out of it, and living a good lifestyle in the process.

Why are they slutty girls? Just girls who like shagging - hardly a crime is it.

For me prositution should be totally legal and maybe then teenage girls would be better protected than they currently are.

But make it illegal to use a prostitute, irrespective of age or gender and then police it.

It's actually not a bad point. There are plenty of super slutty girls who randomly sleep with guys irresponsibly anyway, at least this one is making f**king loads of money out of it, and living a good lifestyle in the process.

I have no problem with girls who enjoy casual sex, and I don't think of them as being slutty. But once they become prostitutes they generally forfeit the right to choose who they're going to service. And I suspect damn few women become prostitutes because they enjoy sex with strangers.

What do you mean by a "good" lifestyle? Do you mean a RICH lifestyle?

In France prostitution is legal from the age of 18. If you're not old enough to vote, you're not old enough to sell your body. At what age would YOU draw the line?

I am so glad we didn't sign Ribery. Imagine how his value will fall if he does jail time. Bayern must already be regretting giving him a new contract.

I have no problem with girls who enjoy casual sex, and I don't think of them as being slutty.

I agree 100%. As long as they are safe about it (ie condoms and where they pickup their partners from, making sure they are physically safe etc) whats the big deal? Its funny that they are condemned by people who are typically resisting their desires purely because they are scared they will be mocked for it.....which to me living your life in a specific manner (denying your wants) purely because of what other people think/stereotype you as is a lot sadder than being labelled a "slut".

But once they become prostitutes they generally forfeit the right to choose who they're going to service. And I suspect damn few women become prostitutes because they enjoy sex with strangers.

This case is a perfect exampe!! Ribery is no prize pig in the looks department and without his status or cash this girl probably(Im being judemental I know, but just to prove a point) wouldnt even give him the time of day.

I think prostitution is actually a lot more glamourized than it was even a generation ago. The porn industry has really glorified "commercial" sex, and now their are even TV shows that glamourize profession sex trade workers such as "Diaries of a Call Girls" (GF loves this show, I thnk she lives vicariously through it as she would never admit wanting to be something like a call girl even). Funny thing is, even though I havent seen much of that show, Ive yet to see the characters in that show have to sleep with the ugly/disgusting people real life sex trade workers have to "interact" with.

I wouldnt be surprised that a lot of girls lately go into the industry on their own thinking its a fantastic way to make a big buck and then get in too deep to easily get out once they realise the difference between fantasy/aTV show and the real life industry.

Of course there are high end call girls and what not who may be able to completely pick and choose their clientele, but they are few and far between I imagine. Just like their are many pro footballers in the world, yet only a select few have the ability to truely pick and choose where they want to play (ie can pick and choose amongst even the biggest clubs etc)

That's an enormous erection behind her, isnt it?