French judicial authorities have mandated Olympic swimming champion Yannick Agnel to face criminal proceedings over severe sexual offense allegations involving a minor. The Colmar Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed Thursday that the investigative chamber of the Colmar appeals court has formally ordered the 33-year-old athlete to stand trial on charges of rape and sexual assault.
The case centers on allegations that Agnel engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with the 13-year-old daughter of his former coach. According to court documents, the alleged incidents occurred across multiple international locations between 2016 and 2021, including the French city of Mulhouse where Agnel trained, Rio de Janeiro during the Olympic Games, Spain, and Thailand. At the time of the purported acts, Agnel was 24 years old while the victim was just 13.
French judicial officials note that Agnel, who initially admitted to an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl during his December 2021 arrest while denying coercion, now has a ten-day window to appeal the trial order to France’s highest judicial authority, the Court of Cassation.
The legal development comes amid France’s strengthened stance on child protection laws. In 2021, the nation enacted legislation that explicitly categorizes sexual relations with children under 15 as rape, carrying potential prison sentences of up to 20 years. This legal framework aligns France more closely with other Western nations’ approaches to prosecuting sexual crimes against minors.
Agnel, who captured two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics in the 200-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter freestyle relay events, concluded his competitive swimming career in 2016. His legal representation has not issued any immediate response to requests for commentary regarding the trial order.