Morgan Cirès in March 2018. - AFP

Figure skater Morgan Ciprès, accused of sending obscene photos to a minor in late 2017, is due to appear before the disciplinary commission of the French Ice Sports Federation (FFSG), whose decision is expected by the end of July ”, We learned from a source close to the file.

It was the new president, Nathalie Péchalat, elected in mid-March after the resignation of the immovable Didier Gailhaguet, swept away by the scandal of sexual violence which rocked French skating at the start of 2020, who seized this commission “at the end of April-start May, "the federation confirmed to AFP on Wednesday. The commission having three months after the referral to rule, it will make its decision by "the end of July", we add, without however specifying the scale of the sanctions incurred by the skater.

Gailhaguet discreet, at the time

The case broke out in early December, when the American daily newspaper USA Today revealed that Cipré (29), along with his Florida-based coaches, John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana, were the target of an investigation by the American organization Safe Sport. , dedicated to the fight against violence in sport. Him for having, in December 2017, sent two photos of his sex to a young skater of thirteen. Them for having put pressure on the adolescent to keep her silent.

Also according to USA Today, "new or additional information" led recently to relaunch an investigation conducted by the sheriff of Pasco County in Florida. At the time of the revelation of the affair, the FFSG, then still chaired by Gailhaguet, had remained particularly discreet. It had only published a press release several days later, indicating that there was "as the information available, no reason not to place its trust" in Cirès.

Péchalat "no longer wants to solve problems with a pat on the back"

Then at the beginning of February, in the midst of a scandal of sexual violence, Gailhaguet had described the facts alleged against the skater as "shameful bullshit" and "inadmissible error", while adding that he was "not sanctioned" sportingly. Ci off will finally have to face the disciplinary commission of the FFSG.

Péchalat "no longer wants to settle problems with a pat on the back", we sum up at the federation. The disciplinary committee is made up of five members "chosen on the basis of their legal or ethical competence" and is "competent to impose sanctions", explains the federation on its website.

  • Violence against women
  • Sexual violence
  • Sport
  • Skating