Los Angeles (AFP)
French figure skater Morgan Ciprès is being investigated by an organization in the United States on suspicion of sending two obscene photos to a 13-year-old girl at the end of 2017, US daily USA Today reported on Tuesday.
Here, a bronze medalist in pairs at the 2018 World Championships with her partner Vanessa James, is training in Florida on the same rink as the teenager.
USA Today says that the United States Center for SafeSport has opened an investigation against the French, which has not confirmed this independent non-profit organization that fights against sexual abuse in the world of sport.
The US police has meanwhile not launched investigations, the teenager refused to testify, according to USA Today which is based on elements provided by the family of the teenager.
The family says the girl has been pressured by coaches Ciprès, John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana, so she does not alert the authorities, the newspaper adds.
"I can not talk to you about anything, I mean I have nothing to say about these accusations," said Morgan Ciprès to the US newspaper.
"The Federation (French Ice Sports) manages the situation with him, he took a lawyer and he does not intend to let it go," said only his press, contacted by AFP, without confirming the opening an investigation.
Contacted by AFP, the French Federation was not available in the early evening.
USA Today claims that the photos were sent from Morgan's Certified Instagram account after December 5, 2017, just weeks before the Pyeongchang Olympics where he finished 5th in pairs.
Ciprès (28 years old) has been skating with Vanessa James (32 years old) since 2010. They train in Florida, under the direction of John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana, since summer 2016.
Ciprès and James are champions of Europe in title but decided to spare themselves this winter to prolong their career until 2022, year of the next Winter Olympics and during which the World Championships will be organized in France, in Montpellier. They did not participate in any competition during the first part of the season.
© 2019 AFP