PARIS (AP) — France's sports minister announced Thursday that more than 300 French coaches, teachers and sports officials have been accused of sexual abuse or covering up such misconduct in 2023.
Four years ago, France launched a national effort to expose and combat sexual violence in sports after Sara Abitbol, a 10-time French skating champion, wrote in a book that she was raped by her coach as a teenage athlete. It started.
Since 2020, complaints have been filed against 1,284 coaches, teachers and sports officials. Of these, 186 faced criminal proceedings and 624 received temporary or permanent bans.
Sports Minister Amélie Oudea-Castella held a press conference in Paris on Thursday to present the latest annual report on the national survey. She said most of the victims (81%) were women and girls. Most of those accused, 90%, were men.
The alleged abuse included sexual assault, harassment, and other violence. She said the abuses spanned the country and industry, with the accusations targeting a total of 45 sports federations.
In 2023, complaints were filed against 377 people. According to the minister, 293 of those suspected of abuse or concealment were coaches and teachers, and 15 were sports personnel. The remainder held minor or volunteer management positions.
Thirty-six people are facing criminal proceedings, 176 have been temporarily or permanently removed from their jobs, and field investigations are ongoing in other cases.
Abitbol said in her book that she was raped by coach Jill Beyer from 1990 to 1992 when she was a teenager. Mr. Bayer has been charged with a preliminary charge of sexual assault, and the investigation is ongoing.
