Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist Ordered to Stand Trial Over Sexual Assault of 13-Year-Old

French Olympic swimming champion Yannick Agnel will stand trial on charges of rape and sexual assault involving a minor, according to a decision announced Thursday by prosecutors in eastern France, as reported by The New York Post.

The prosecutor general’s office in Colmar said the investigative chamber of the Colmar appeals court has ordered Agnel, now 33, to face trial for alleged acts involving the 13-year-old daughter of his former coach.

The court determined that Agnel was an adult at the time of the alleged offenses, clearing the way for criminal proceedings.

French double Olympic swimming gold medallist Yannick Agnel will face trial on charges of rape and sexual assault after his appeal was rejected
➡️ https://t.co/sJ3be9AjA3 pic.twitter.com/T7HoykD7cL

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 15, 2026

Under French law, Agnel has 10 days to appeal the ruling to the Court of Cassation, France’s highest court for criminal and civil matters. As of Thursday, no appeal had been publicly confirmed.

Agnel was first arrested in December 2021 as part of the investigation. At the time of his arrest, Agnel admitted to having had a relationship with an underage girl but denied that any coercion occurred.

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His legal representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the appeals court decision.

According to French judicial officials, the alleged acts occurred in 2016, when the girl was 13 years old, and Agnel was 24.

Authorities said the incidents are alleged to have taken place in multiple locations across several countries.

Those locations include the eastern French city of Colmar’s neighboring region of Mulhouse, where Agnel was training at the time, as well as Rio de Janeiro during the Olympic Games, and additional incidents allegedly occurring in Spain and Thailand.

Agnel was one of France’s most prominent swimmers during the early 2010s. He won two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games, capturing first place in the 200-meter freestyle and as part of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team.

He was widely regarded as a key figure in French swimming before retiring from competitive athletics in 2016, the same year the alleged incidents are said to have occurred.

The case has moved forward against the backdrop of significant changes to French criminal law.

In 2021, France enacted legislation that defines sexual relations with a child under the age of 15 as rape, regardless of claims of consent, and carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Donc Yannick Agnel prétend avoir eu une relation amoureuse avec la petite blonde de cette photo (qui date de 2015, elle avait donc 13 ans).
Il mérite la perpétuité, c’est une enfant, elle fait même plus jeune que 13 ans.. pic.twitter.com/4lqV2jtcTZ

— Gremlins (@GremlinsOff) January 15, 2026

The reform was designed to bring France’s penal code more closely in line with those of other Western nations that impose strict age-of-consent standards.

Because the alleged acts occurred prior to the passage of that law, prosecutors are proceeding under the legal framework in effect at the time, while still emphasizing the seriousness of the charges.

Judicial authorities have said the determination that Agnel was an adult at the time of the alleged offenses was a key factor in ordering him to stand trial.

The Colmar appeals court ruling marks a major step in a case that has been under investigation for several years. No trial date has yet been announced, and further procedural steps could follow if Agnel chooses to appeal.

French authorities have not released additional details about the alleged victim, citing privacy protections. The case continues to be handled by judicial officials in eastern France as it moves toward the trial phase.

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