French Olympic swimmer Yannick Agnel is facing trial following accusations of rape and sexual assault involving the 13-year-old daughter of his former coach, as stated by the prosecutor general’s office in Colmar.
The Colmar appeals court’s investigative chamber has summoned the 33-year-old to face trial due to being an adult at the time of the alleged incidents. Agnel has a 10-day window to contest the ruling at France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation.
Agnel was detained in December 2021 and acknowledged having a relationship with the minor but refuted any claims of coercion.
The reported occurrences trace back to 2016 when the girl was 13 and Agnel was 24, spanning various locations such as Mulhouse, Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics, Spain, and Thailand, as per French judicial authorities.
Agnel, a double gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics in the 200m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay, retired from professional swimming in 2016.
France’s 2021 legislation now designates any sexual involvement with individuals under 15 as rape, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, aligning the country with numerous other Western nations.