Figure skating coach Gilles Beyer responded to rape charges, announced the bronze medalist of the world championship 2000 Sarah Abitbol. Beyer said they really were in an intimate relationship with a figure skater when she was a minor. In the past against him have been allegations of misconduct, however, he continued to coach through 2018 was a member of the Executive Committee of the French Federation of ice sports.

  • AFP
  • © Olivier MORIN

In the French figure skating opened up a new scandal. The former coach and a functionary of the French Federation of ice sports (FFSG) Gilles Beyer admitted that he had been having sex with his student Sarah Abitbol — bronze medalist of the world championship 2000 in sports paired with Stefan Bernadi.

“I admit that I entered her in an intimate relationship. Perhaps my memories about the details of these relations are different from her. But I understand that given my position and age of Sarah at the time, this relationship in any case was unacceptable… I made the mistake of not realizing what harm can cause it by their actions… I am truly sorry and bring Sarah Abitbol apologize… Although I understand it, I’m sorry that after all these years she never talked to me about it. Our paths often crossed, but I had no idea how deep wounds”, — quotes the 62-year-old Beyer FR24News.com.

Shortly before Abitbol published the book “That long silence”, which said that Beyer repeatedly raped her. This happened in the period 1990-1992. The skater then was 15-17 years.

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“When I was 15, I spent the night outside the home. I was vulnerable and you took advantage of it. Even today, as soon as I leave home, I get scared. I’m scared to go to unfamiliar places. Uncertainty necessarily mean danger,” — leads edition of L’equipe excerpt from the book.

According to Abitbol first Beyer forced her to have sexual intimacy when she took his eight-week internship. According to the athlete, one night Beyer came to her room, touched her under the blanket and kissed. The coach smelled of alcohol.

Such episodes lasted for all of two years until Abitbol remained a student of Beyer. Skater recalled that the coach had behaved brutally in the classroom and did not hesitate to touch her or other woman in public. In the end Abitbol decided to retire from skating in pairs. When she got a couple of Bernadi, harassment by Beyer stopped, and Abitbol were able to build a successful career. For ten years they became Champions of France seven times stood on the podium of the European Championships and won bronze at the world championship in 2000. Abitbol and Bernadi could claim medals at the Olympic games in 2002, but due to the injury of the partner they are not made in salt lake city.

In the past, Beyer has fallen suspicions of sexual harassment against minors. In 2000, coach Didier Lucien expressed concern about the behavior of the Beyer compared to the female students and wrote letters to the FFSG and the Ministry of sport of France. However, without statements from the possible victims of the scandal broke out. The following year, Beyer was deprived of the post of sports consultant with the Ministry, continuing to work as a coach and a functionary. From 2014 to 2018, he was a member of the Executive Committee of the FFSG and up to confessions Abitbol remained General Manager of the club, “French flounce”. Immediately after the confessions athletes Beyer was removed from all posts at the club.

“The club expresses their deepest condolences to members about the incident. We intend to give maximum attention and to make every possible effort to preserve the many years of trust club members and their families to our organization and our coaches,” said in “France volant”.

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In addition Abitbol, with the accusations against Beyer made a former figure skater Ellen Goddard. She told L Obs that was raped in the 1970s, when she was only 13-14 years old. At the age of 15, he was also subjected to violence by Jean-Roland Raclette — the future of the coach Abitbol in pair skating.

According to the victims of the coach, Beyer helped the patronage of Gauage Didier, President of the FFSG in 1998-2004 and 2007-present. In the 1970s they worked together on the figure skating, and later held senior posts in the Federation. It is noteworthy that in 1974, Bayer and Gauage became winners of the championship of France, along with another athlete — Pascal Delorme, who in 2003, as a coach, was accused of raping a 12-year-old figure skater Ann-Lynn Rolland and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Gauage then gave a positive response for delarme’s, opposed to six more girls.

Over the past two months this is the second episode in the French figure skating associated with harassment. Earlier allegations of misconduct were brought against the European champion in pair skating Morgan the Sipr acting with Vanessa James. Media reported that during preparation for the Olympic games 2018 in Florida sportsman sent in social networks photos of his genitals to a 13-year-old athlete that was training in the arena. FFSG then expressed support for the Sipr and gave him counsel at the time of trial, developed by the American Center for safe sport.