Described as omnipotent, the historic coach of a Yvelines athletics club was suspended after being accused by athletes for acts of sexual violence, a new reply after serial revelations that rocked French sport . Following several complaints, a preliminary investigation was entrusted to the police station of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of the heads of "moral harassment", "sexual harassment" and "rape committed on a minor over 15 years", for facts likely to have been committed between 2004 and December 2019, AFP learned from a judicial source.
The suspension "unfounded and outrageous" for the lawyer of the coach
The implicated coach, now a former historic manager of the West 78 Athletic Club (CAO78), was also suspended from his sport-related activities on January 4 by the Yvelines prefecture. He filed last Thursday an application to the administrative court to challenge his suspension, said his lawyer Me Charles Thuillier to AFP. “My client is kept away from all the elements of the file. He is kept in complete ignorance and has not been heard by the police, said the lawyer. This decision (the suspension) seems unfounded and outrageous. It's frustrating. "
On December 30, 2019, a technical officer of the Ile-de-France Athletics League (LIFA), who preferred to remain anonymous, received a phone call. “I was alerted by a former club member, who is still in contact with the girls (club members). The girls had a collective awareness, they realized that there were several (concerned) and wondered what to do, how to do, ”he told AFP.
Described as omnipotent, with "a guru side"
The national technical director of athletics and the president of the League are informed "in the minute", then the departmental direction of social cohesion of Yvelines (DDCS), which organizes hearings in Saint-Germain-en-Laye on the 4th January. It follows from the “shortcomings” exposed in the prefectural decree that AFP was able to consult: “during a sports trip, sharing a room with an athlete, sexual relations (including some with minors) imposed and obtained in a context of psychological influence ”.
On January 4, the respondent was therefore suspended, five days after the alert was given. At the same time, an anonymous letter of denunciation was sent to the mayor of the city, who seized the public prosecutor, and several complaints were lodged. Described as omnipotent in the Yvelines club, with “a guru side”, the coach and manager participated in the training of several groups, with minors and adults, in several specialties.
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- Sexual violence
- Sport
- Athletics