The French prosecutor's office opened an investigation against former figure skating coach Gilles Bejer (62) for alleged rape and sexual assault on minors.
The investigation was launched after former French multiple champion Sarah Abitbol published a book in which she claims Beyer repeatedly raped her from 1990 to 1992 when she was a teenager.
"I was vulnerable and you took advantage of that. Even today, as soon as I leave the house, I'm afraid. I hate going to places I don't know. The unknown is necessarily synonymous with danger. I can't travel alone. Driving a car without someone beside me is a long time was impossible, and flying is torture," wrote the ten-time French champion who won the bronze medal at the 2000 World Championships in a pair with Stephane Bernadis.
Bejer admitted last week that he had "intimate" and "inappropriate" relations with Abitbol, after which he was fired from the club, where he had one of the leading positions.
Prosecutor Remo Hakc said in a statement that the preliminary investigation will seek to "identify other victims who may have suffered similar acts."
French Sports Minister Roxana Marasineanu on Monday demanded the resignation of the president of the French Skating Federation, Didier Gailaget, who was already leading the federation at the time of the alleged rapes.
L'Ekip reported that in 2001 the French Ministry of Sport terminated Beyer's consultancy contract after a report revealed "serious acts" committed against young skaters.
Despite the dismissal, Beyer continued his work at the club Le France Volants and served several terms in the French Skating Federation until 2018.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
