New twist in the doping case of the athlete Ophélie Claude-Boxberger: his stepfather Alain Flaccus, who previously accused himself of having injected him with EPO, changed his version and indicated Friday that ‘He had never committed such a gesture.
“I am not at the origin of this positive analysis at EPO”, replied in writing Alain Flaccus, via his lawyer, questioned by AFP on his act. “Mr. Flaccus did not inject Ms. Claude-Boxberger,” then said over the phone his lawyer Me Jean-Baptiste Euvrard, throwing trouble on this incredible case, seven months after the confession of his client.
The 3000m steeplechase specialist Ophélie Claude-Boxberger had been tested positive at EPO on September 18, 2019 during an internship at Font-Romeu, preceding her participation in the World Championships in Doha a few weeks later (elimination in the series).
“He is trying to save his skin”
The athlete, who claims his innocence, has been provisionally suspended since November 4 and awaits his convocation by the sanctions committee of the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD). She faces four years of suspension.
“This is terrifying news,” said Laurent Clauzon, the lawyer for Ophélie Claude-Boxberger. On the bottom it will have to give serious explanations. “He is trying to save his skin (…) it is a huge surprise,” he continued. “It’s weird, I find it hard to realize,” added Ophélie Claude-Boxberger.
Alain Flaccus, his former youth coach, also a companion of his mother, who assisted him in his training, had accused investigators and the press of having inoculated him with a dose of EPO without his knowledge, while she had dozed off during a massage on September 12 at Font-Romeu. Flaccus, 72, then explained that he had acted out of jealousy towards the doctor for the French team Jean-Michel Serra, with whom the 31-year-old founder had a romantic relationship. He hoped that the athlete’s woes would spill over to the doctor, since fired by the federation.
After the confessions of Alain Flaccus, Ophélie Claude-Boxberger had filed a complaint against him for poisoning, while in parallel judicial information has been opened since November by the public health pole of the Paris judicial court for trafficking in doping products and administration of prohibited substance.
Ophélie Claude-Boxberger also denounces acts of sexual assault on the part of Alain Flaccus when she was a minor and threatens to file a complaint. Facts denied as a whole by the person concerned. A procedure for sexual assault had already been opened in 2009 and then closed without follow-up in 2011.
