Racing 92 winger Vinaya Habosi has been mandated to participate in a domestic violence awareness course following his recent arrest, a public prosecutor’s office located near Paris reported on Tuesday.
Habosi was taken into custody on Sunday and was released 24 hours later by police, who responded to a call regarding a dispute at his home involving him, his wife, and their infant child.
Witnesses assert that the 24-year-old allegedly pushed and struck his wife, claims that were corroborated by the victim during police questioning. According to law enforcement sources, Habosi exhibited “signs of drunkenness” at the time of the incident.
The public prosecutors in Nanterre informed AFP that Habosi is required to complete a program aimed at “raising awareness for the prevention of and response to domestic violence and sexist behavior as part of an alternative to legal proceedings.” They indicated that legal action could be taken if Habosi fails to adhere to this order.
On Saturday, he appeared as a substitute for 10 minutes in Racing’s 33-20 victory over Clermont in the French Top 14. The team is set to face Bordeaux-Begles in the next round of the Top 14 season on Saturday.
Racing 92 head coach Stuart Lancaster addressed the situation, stating, “The club has issued a statement and we are still investigating the facts. It affects our focus, as we want to concentrate on rugby. It’s something beyond our control, and the players have handled it well. We have a significant match ahead against Bordeaux-Begles, so our attention is on that.”
Earlier this year, Habosi was dismissed from the Fijian Drua for a serious violation of the club’s code of conduct, which reportedly stemmed from an assault complaint filed with the local authorities. He subsequently joined Racing 92, located just west of Paris.
Habosi represented Fiji in five matches during last year’s Rugby World Cup, including a start on the wing in their quarter-final match against England, where they were defeated.