the France pole in Marseille will close after the conviction of its director for moral harassment – ​​Liberation

A month after the conviction of the technical director of the France gymnastics center in Marseille, Vincent Plateau for moral harassment, the center will definitely close its doors. The French Gymnastics Federation (FFGym) has decided to close this pole. “Both financial problems, governance problems and ethical problems make the steering committee of the Federation come to this decision”said the national technical director of the FFGym, Kevinn Rabaud.

The case of Vincent Pateau dealt the coup de grace to this structure faced with significant financial problems. The former coach was sentenced in early May to a suspended six-month prison sentence for moral harassment against underage sportswomen he had supervised in this high-level pole. The hypothesis of the sustainability of the pole in another form had been considered but “These projects did not seem tenable to us”, added Kevinn Rabaud. The closure will be effective on June 30 and alternative solutions in other poles or in regional structures are being studied for gymnasts in training in this pole, assured the Federation.

This case is not the only one to highlight the unsustainable sporting conditions of young gymnasts. In 2018, former US team doctor Larry Nassar was convicted of sexually assaulting at least 265 gymnasts. Since then, gymnasts around the world have spoken out against abusive practices, highlighting a toxic culture within their discipline.