French Olympic swimming champion Yannick Agnel to stand trial on rape, sexual assault charges

Yannick Agnel of France celebrates on the podium after winning the men's 400-metre freestyle final at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Chartres, west of Paris, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PARIS — French Olympic swimming champion Yannick Agnel will stand trial on charges of rape and sexual assault on the 13-year-old daughter of his former coach, the prosecutor general’s office in Colmar said Thursday.

The prosecutor general’s office confirmed that the investigative chamber of the Colmar appeals court ordered Agnel, 33, to go on trial since he was an adult at the time of the alleged acts. He has 10 days to appeal to France’s top court, the Court of Cassation.

Agnel was first arrested in December 2021 and at the time admitted to a relationship with an underage girl but denied coercion.

His legal representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The girl was 13 and Agnel was 24 in 2016 at the time of the alleged acts in several locations including the French eastern city of Mulhouse, where the swimmer was training, Rio de Janeiro during the Olympics, Spain and Thailand, according to French judicial officials.

Agnel won two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics — in the 200-metre freestyle and the 4x100-metre freestyle relay — and retired in 2016.

In 2021, France passed a law that characterizes sex with a child under the age of 15 as rape and punishable by up to 20 years in jail, bringing its penal code closer in line with many other western nations.

If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:

• Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety.
• The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres' website has a comprehensive list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling. 
• The Ending Violence Association of Canada‘s website has links to helplines, support services and locations across Canada that offer sexual assault kits.
• Indian Residential School Survivors Society crisis lines: [phone] or [phone] (24/7)
• Toronto Rape Crisis Centre crisis line: [phone] (24/7)
• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: [phone] (24/7)
• Trans Lifeline: [phone]
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
• Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre for current and former Canadian Armed Forces members: [phone]
• Read about your rights as a victim on the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime website.