French Olympic swimmer Yannick Agnel is facing trial for alleged rape and sexual assault involving the 13-year-old daughter of his former coach, as confirmed by the prosecutor general’s office in Colmar.
The 33-year-old has been ordered by the Colmar appeals court’s investigative chamber to stand trial due to being an adult at the time of the reported incidents. Agnel has a 10-day window to contest the decision at France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation.
Agnel was taken into custody in December 2021. While he acknowledged a relationship with the underage girl, he refuted any claims of coercion.
The accusations stem from events in 2016, when the girl was 13 years old and Agnel was 24, allegedly occurring in various places including Mulhouse, Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics, Spain, and Thailand, according to French judicial authorities.
Having claimed two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics in the 200m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay, Agnel retired from professional swimming in 2016.
Under France’s 2021 legislation, engaging in sexual activities with individuals under 15 is now considered rape, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, putting the country in line with many other Western nations.
