Paris (AFP)

The former skater Sarah Abitbol, ​​at the origin of the revelations on the sexual assaults in the French figure skating, said Saturday "relieved" by the indictment of Gilles Beyer, her former trainer, whom she accuses of rape .

A year after the outbreak of a resounding scandal of sexual violence in the world of figure skating, ex-coach Gilles Beyer was indicted for "sexual assault" and "sexual harassment" and placed under judicial supervision.

Even if this indictment does not concern Sarah Abitbol because in her case the facts are prescribed, the skater explains to the Obs to be “relieved that justice summons Gilles Beyer. Finally!”.

Sarah Abitbol had accused in the book "Un si long silence" (Plon), published in early 2020, her ex-trainer of repeated rapes and sexual assaults, when she was between 15 and 17 years old, in the early 90s However, she had not lodged a complaint, given the statute of limitations.

In a written statement to AFP, Mr. Beyer had acknowledged "intimate relations" and "inappropriate" with Sarah Abitbol, ​​presenting "apologies" immediately refused by this one.

"I see that the charges are 'assault' and 'harassment'. I suffered rape. But it's unfortunate, these facts are time barred. I know that another skater testified to the police, to have been raped by the same aggressor. But for her also, the facts are prescribed ", regrets Sarah Abitbol however.

"I find it unfair that we cannot be on the bench of victims, facing justice. I hope that other victims, not prescribed, will emerge from their silence. This case raises once again the question of the prescription of sexual crimes against minors. This is my fight today, ”she underlines again.

Following these revelations, the Ministry of Sports had carried out an administrative investigation with the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research (IGESR).

This highlighted the suspicions weighing on 21 FFSG coaches, including 12 accused for "acts of harassment or sexual assault".

Of these, three were sentenced in the past to firm or suspended prison terms.

More broadly, at the end of December 2020, 370 alleged cases of sexual violence had been reported to the monitoring unit of the Ministry of Sports, in several disciplines (judo, horse riding, motorbike, rollerblading and skateboarding, etc.).

From the same source, 69 of them were reported to the courts.

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