Ex-Olympic swim champion Agnel to face trial on rape claims

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.

In May, the Frenchman’s lawyers appealed the decision for the 33-year-old to face the charges but the appeals court in Colmar, north-east France, turned down the claim and ordered the trial to go ahead.

Agnel, who won two golds at the 2012 London Games, is suspected of having had a relationship in 2016 with Naome 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 came to international prominence at the 2010 European championships when he won gold in the 400 metres freestyle, setting a new French and championship record.

Two years later he starred at the London Olympics when he took gold in the 200m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle relay as well as silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

He collected gold medals in the same two events in the 2013 world championships.

Agnel 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.