Paris trial opens over killing of Argentine rugby star Aramburu

The trial over the killing of Argentine rugby international Federico Aramburu opened in Paris on Monday, more than four years after a late-night argument ended in gunfire.

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Justice for Fede

Aramburu, 42, was sitting at a Paris brasserie with former player Shaun Hegarty in the early hours of March 19, 2022, when they argued with Loik Le Priol and Romain Bouvier. After the rugby players left, the two defendants are accused of firing several shots at Aramburu, who died from his wounds.

Le Priol, 32, faces a murder charge, while Bouvier, 35, faces an attempted-murder charge. Both men deny intending to kill Aramburu. If convicted, they could receive life sentences. The trial is expected to run for several weeks, with a verdict scheduled for September 25.

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going to Ukraine to fight

The case has prompted calls for justice in Argentina, where Aramburu played for the national team. Members of the Pumas wore black shirts reading “Justice for Fede” before a match on Saturday. A campaign supported by his family, friends and Argentina’s rugby community says the case must remain focused on the death of a 42-year-old father of three.

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always smiling

Le Priol, a former commando and member of the dissolved far-right group GUD, is suspected of firing the fatal shots. He was arrested days later at the Hungary-Ukraine border, where he told police he was “going to Ukraine to fight.” Former teammates remembered Aramburu as “always smiling” and a “true friend,” while his family and supporters described the killing as marked by violence, hatred and extremist intolerance.

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true friend