For five days now, fake news and perverse happiness from Moroccan and masculinist internet users of all types have been circulating on the internet. At the center of the controversy: the marital setbacks of Achraf Hakimi, a footballer of Moroccan origin who played for PSG and an undisputed star since the last World Cup.
Let's summarize the case: in the midst of a divorce, Spanish actress Hiba Abouk, on her way to becoming Hakimi's ex-wife, reportedly asked for “more than half of the Moroccan footballer's assets and fortune”. But, reverse the situation: the star of the round ball would have protected his back by putting “his entire fortune in his mother’s name, a long time ago”.
The intelligent process would prevent Hiba Abouk, thus portrayed as a venal woman, from winning the “jackpot”. This fantasized result seems to suffer many Internet users, including fans of the Atlas Lion, who since the first occurrence of this boat have multiplied satisfied reactions and sexist jokes on social networks. Among them, among others: the controversial masculinist Andrew Tate, the champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC, American mixed martial arts league, MMA) Israel Adesanya or the former star of the UFC heavyweight category, the Cameroonian Francis Ngannou.
Genesis of fake news
But this story doesn't have Foundation and the two main interested parties did not find it convenient to give their opinion on the matter. This perfectly illustrates the results of an MIT study published in 2018, according to which fake news spreads faster than real information. At the origin of the case, a tweet published on April 13 by the Ivorian page “First Mag”. This website, which is used to disseminate fake news, uses less of a journalistic tone than of humorous comments. To date, the post in question has been retweeted more than 15,000 times and liked almost 97,000 times. The republication of information by large accounts such as the American page @DailyLoud gave greater visibility to misinformation. Since then, several generalists and sports media have broadcast it without trying to confirm it. But still without denying First Mag, which on the contrary surfs the media echo built from scratch.
It should also be noted that Achraf Hakimi has been indicted and placed under judicial supervision for rape since March 2023 by the Nanterre prosecutor's office. He categorically denies the facts. His lawyer, Me Fanny Colin, even denounces an “extortion attempt”. But this event would not be linked to the ongoing divorce proceedings. After five years of relationship, including three years of marriage, Hiba Abouk finally spoke about the breakup, one day after the announcement of her rape accusation: “Today, I feel obliged to make this statement public to express my state of spirit and clarify first-hand the information that is circulating”.
In fact, another boat wanted Hiba Abouk to leave the football star when the affair broke. Proof of your “disloyalty” according to the player’s certificates. As for her ex-husband's emotions, the actress said she “is on the side of the victims” and “trusts in the good work of the justice system”. Second low blow for the Hakimi fan club, which does not believe the declared victim's statements for a second. This is not the first time that Hiba Abouk has been targeted by internet users. In the past, she has been accused of an “anti-Moroccan” attitude following the exhumation of an old photo of the actress with a Saharawi activist, seen circular photos described as “vulgar” or had to deal with derogatory comments about her age difference with Achraf Hakimi.
Reinforced in their analysis of the situation by the latest twists and turns, the player's fans rejoice, online, with the idea that their idol had been informed, in an intelligent way, how to prevent his wife from taking part of his fortune. “Blow of genius”, some shout, “Masterclass”, “Excellent game” add others… Even if the information is false.
Untouchable
But beyond the fact that the player's ex-wife is often criticized for mostly sexist reasons, this new controversy reveals the extent to which the players of the Moroccan national team – and in fact Hakimi – are now elevated to the totem pole in the eyes of the Moroccan public. . Since then, the private lives of these athletes who managed to instill hope throughout the Arab world and across Africa during the last World Cup have been constantly scrutinized and commented on.
Today, Achraf Hakimi is no longer an average sportsman. At the same time, the fusional relationship he maintains with his mother, Saïda Mouh, widely publicized during the World Cup, is consolidated by fake news. But the latter, currently in Mecca to perform her Umrah (small pilgrimage), resisted being harsh in this case.
Tax fraud?
From a legal point of view, this boat is also not very credible. Because there are in most European countries, including France where the player lives, two main types of matrimonial regimes: the first, that of community property, implies that what was acquired during the marriage by one of the intimates is divided in the case of divorce, and the second, separation of assets, assumes that the non-division of assets is stipulated in the contract.
In short, either the player's fortune, considered the sixth highest paid African footballer in Europe in 2022, will participate following the divorce with his children's mother, or she already knows that she will not be able to benefit from it.
Finally, the itinerary of this fake news, in addition to confirming the ease of classifying women as venal without proof in a sexist logic, shows the prevalence of the lack of media literacy. Thus, even if the player's mother objects, internet users, instead of questioning the main information, consider her statements as proof of an elaborate communication strategy. “In her place I would have said the same thing” or “She is right to deny it”, they comment per dozens.
