French double Olympic swimming gold medallist Yannick Agnel will face trial on charges of rape and sexual assault after his appeal was rejected on Thursday, January 15. In May, the Frenchman’s lawyers appealed the decision for the 33-year-old to face the charges but the appeals court in Colmar, northeastern France, turned down the claim and ordered the trial to proceed.
Agnel, who won two golds at the 2012 London Games, is suspected of having had a relationship in 2016 with Naomé Horter, the daughter of his coach, who was 13 at the time. Agnel has always insisted the relationship was consensual and loving.
According to prosecutors, the events in question took place between December, 31, 2015 and August 31, 2016 in various locations including Mulhouse, Thailand and Tenerife. The investigation led to the indictment of the swimmer five months later, in December 2021. Agnel has always denied he had any control over the teenager.
The public prosecutor at the time, Edwige Roux-Morizot, considered “the facts constitute rape and sexual assault due to the age difference, because the justice system considers that there is genuine moral duress.” In July 2024, the swimmer, who had retired in 2016, attended a meeting with his accuser, now in her early 20s, that he had requested.
Agnel starred at the London Olympics, where he won gold in the 200m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle relay. He qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics to defend his 200m freestyle title but failed to get through the heats and announced his retirement from swimming soon after.