According to a source close to the matter, “the thread may just begin to unfold.” A former member of the executive committee of the French Judo Federation, suspected of several sexual assaults, has been suspended from his coaching duties in northern France, we learned on Friday.
The man in his sixties, former president of a regional league, and who spent four years on the management committee of the French Federation between 2012 and 2016, has been coaching for many years in a club in the north of France. .
It is the testimony of at least one victim, member of the club, which started the procedure. “I had the victim on the phone Tuesday evening, and I spoke with her, recalls the president of the federation Jean-Luc Rougé, who had worked alongside this coach in the management committee. And just with his declaration I took a precautionary measure. It is serious enough for me to intervene. “
“It always surprises everyone,” he adds of the identity of the alleged assailant. It is true that it is a particular person, but from there to suspect this kind of thing, not at all. A few days earlier, another coach of the same club was also suspended by the federation after learning of his indictment for rape of a minor. “The two know each other very well”, assures the source close to the file.
“I know where it comes from”
“I received a letter from the federation and I know where it comes from. We have been suspicious of me, ”recognizes the former member of the management of the suspended federation. “These are disagreements between people in a club, that could be it,” he presumes. I’m going to see what follow-up I’m going to give on my side anyway ”.
About twenty cases out of the 330 identified by the cell set up at the Ministry of Sports currently targets judo, one of the most practiced sports in France with nearly half a million licensees. Judo has been hit for several days by a series of revelations of cases of sexual violence, a tidal wave that has affected sport as a whole for several months. An inspection mission was launched by the Minister of Sports on the subject targeting judo and horse riding.
