The Colmar Court of Appeal confirmed on Thursday that the former French swimmer Yannick Agnel He will be tried for the rape of a minor under 15 years of age before the Haut-Rhin Criminal Court, thus rejecting the appeal filed by his defense against the referral. This decision upholds the classification of the facts as determined by the Mulhouse investigating chamber, which had ruled in May 2025 that the evidence was sufficient for the criminal proceedings to continue within this judicial framework.
Now 33 years old, the two-time Olympic swimming champion, gold medalist at the 2012 London Games, is being prosecuted for events dating back to 2016. He is suspected of having had a sexual relationship with the daughter of his former coach. Lionel Horter, when she was only 13 years old and he was 24 years old, a period during which he was staying with this family as part of his sports training.
The accusation was made following a complaint filed in the summer of 2021 by the alleged victim with the juvenile brigade, followed by the indictment of Yannick Agnel in early December 2021 for rape and sexual assault of a minor under 15 years of age by the Mulhouse prosecutor's office.
An appeal rejected by the court
Following the investigating judge's decision to send Agnel to trial before the Haut-Rhin departmental criminal court in May 2025, his defense team appealed the indictment to the investigating chamber of the Colmar Court of Appeal. This appeal aimed to avoid a criminal trial, but it was rejected this Thursday, January 15, upholding the prosecution's classification of the charges.
The investigating chamber ruled that all the evidence gathered by the investigating judges justified referring Agnel to a criminal court for aggravated rape and aggravated sexual assault of a minor, the charges brought against him. The lawyer for the civil party said "Satisfied for her client", stating that "The rest will be debated before the departmental criminal court."
The former champion remains presumed innocent until a verdict is reached. The trial date before the Haut-Rhin criminal court is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
