A few months before a World Cup that he dreamed of playing in France (September 8 to October 28, 2023), Mohamed Haouas once again fills the columns of legal news. The pillar of Montpellier, who had already had to deal with the courts for burglaries and acts of violence nine years ago, was placed in police custody, reveals L’Equipe this Saturday morning. The information was confirmed by AFP who contacted the Montpellier lawyer.
The 29-year-old player (16 caps since 2016), married and father of two children and who recently participated in the 2023 Six Nations Tournament with the XV of France, is suspected of domestic violence. According to the daily, the facts took place in downtown Montpellier on Friday afternoon. Arrested by the CRS, he was taken to the police station where he was still on Saturday morning.
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This is very bad news for the native of Le Havre who is having a complicated end to the season with the MHR. Haouas, who had received a red card, the second of his career with the Blues, against Scotland last February, had recently been dismissed from the Hérault group (along with Paul Willemse). Tensions within the workforce after the defeat against the red lantern Brive (26-27) in early May, had been at the origin of this temporary shelving. He was to be present with the Montpellier group this Sunday against Pau at home.
This police custody will obviously deprive him of this last meeting of the season and could well make him miss the World Cup this fall in France by also compromising his future in the club. Haouas, who signed up with Clermont next season, had a complicated youth. In 2014, he was arrested for theft in a meeting with breaking into a tobacconist and was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended (and 15,000 euros fine) eight years later.
On May 12, he appeared before the Montpellier Correctional Court for acts of violence (“aggravated violence” and “destruction of equipment in a meeting” during a brawl in a bakery in 2014). “I’m glad it’s done and now we’re moving on. I will focus on my sport, work more and give it my all,” the international said as he left the court. Two years in prison with suspended probation had been required. The sentence requested was reserved for June 30.