French swimmer Yannick Agnel, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been ordered to stand trial on charges of rape and sexual assault of a minor under the age of 15, following a ruling by France’s Court of Appeal in Colmar on Jan. 15.
The court rejected Agnel’s appeal and confirmed his indictment, upholding a May 2025 decision by an investigating judge in Mulhouse to refer the case to the Haut-Rhin criminal court. No trial date has yet been announced.
The charges relate to alleged acts that prosecutors say occurred between January and August 2016, when the alleged victim was 13 years old, and Agnel was 23 to 24. The girl is Agnel’s former coach’s daughter. According to court documents, the alleged incidents occurred at multiple locations, including Mulhouse, where Agnel trained and stayed at his coach’s home, as well as in Rio de Janeiro during the 2016 Olympic Games, Spain, and Thailand.
Agnel has acknowledged that sexual relations occurred but has denied any wrongdoing. He maintains the relationship was consensual and “amorous,” and has rejected accusations of coercion, moral pressure, or abuse of authority. His defense has also cited memory gaps regarding some of the alleged incidents.
The case originated from a complaint filed in 2021, when the alleged victim, now an adult, came forward. Agnel was arrested and indicted later that year and has since been under judicial supervision. Under French law, defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A key element of the case is a 2021 reform of French consent law, which states that any sexual act between an adult and a minor under 15 is automatically classified as rape or sexual assault, regardless of claims of consent. The law reflects the legal presumption that a child under that age cannot consent to sexual relations with an adult, particularly where there is a significant age gap or a potential position of influence. If convicted, Agnel could face up to 20 years in prison.
Agnel was one of France’s most prominent swimmers in the early 2010s, winning gold medals in the 200-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay at the 2012 London Olympics, as well as world championship titles in 2013. He competed at the 2016 Rio Games before retiring from the sport shortly afterward.
While Agnel’s lawyers have a limited window to appeal to France’s Court of Cassation on points of law, recent reporting indicates the case is now set to proceed to trial. The matter has drawn widespread attention in French and international media, as well as on social platforms, amid ongoing legal proceedings.
