Overview
- Prosecutors in Colmar said on Jan. 15 that Yannick Agnel was formally indicted and ordered to stand trial on charges of raping and sexually assaulting his former coach’s daughter.
- The alleged acts occurred between Dec. 31, 2015, and Aug. 31, 2016 in multiple locations, including Mulhouse in France, during the Rio 2016 Olympics, and in Spain and Thailand.
- French law adopted in 2021 classifies sexual contact with a child under 15 as rape, carrying penalties of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
- Agnel was arrested in December 2021 after a complaint was filed; he reportedly acknowledged sexual encounters but denied coercion, while prosecutors cited moral duress linked to the age gap.
- A French appeals court in May 2025 rejected his bid to avoid trial, and he now has 10 days from the Jan. 15 decision to seek review by the Court of Cassation.