Former Nîmes swimmer Yannick Agnel, indicted for rape of a minor, confronted for the first time by Naomé Horter

Yannick Agnel mis en examen pour viol sur mineure, a rendez-vous vendredi dans le bureau du juge d’instruction pour une confrontation avec son accusatrice. MAXPPP – PATRICK B. KRAEMER

The former Nîmes swimmer, Olympic champion Yannick Agnel, indicted for rape of a minor under 15 years old, has an appointment Friday afternoon in the office of the Mulhouse investigating judge for a confrontation with his accuser, Naomé Horter, according to the young woman’s lawyer, Thomas Wetterer.

Yannick Agnel, the former Nîmes swimmer, Olympic champion, now aged 32, was indicted in December 2021 for "rape and assault sexual assault on a 15-year-old minor" and placed under judicial supervision after a complaint filed by the daughter of his former trainer Lionel Horter.

A 13 year old girl

The facts date back to 2016, the young girl was then aged 13, and the swimmer was 24 years old. At the end of 48 hours in police custody, Yannick Agnel had "recognized the materiality of the alleged facts, even if for certain rapes he has a memory problem" quot;, explained in December 2021 the public prosecutor of Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin), Edwige Roux-Morizot. She added that Yannick Agnel "did’not have the feeling that there was constraint" in his relationship with Naomé Horter.

However,"the victim was aged 13 and he was 24 : the facts constitute rape and sexual assault due to the age difference, because justice considers that’ rsquo;there is a real moral constraint", the magistrate then insisted.

The request for confrontation was made by Yannick Agnel to the investigating judge after the conclusion of the investigation last March. The two protagonists must therefore meet for the first time on Friday afternoon with their respective counsel in the secrecy of the judge's office at the Mulhouse judicial court. No statement should be made following this confrontation.

Accused of non-consensual sexual relations

Naomé Horter accuses the double Olympic swimming champion of rape and sexual assault, while he was training at the Alsatian club under the direction of his father, Lionel Horter. The swimmer admitted to having had an affair with the teenager, but refuted any form of coercion. The young girl, who has since turned the page on swimming, claims on the contrary to have suffered non-consensual sexual relations.

The prosecution will probably make its final submissions next week to say whether it is requesting a trial for the swimmer. Yannick Agnel has one of the finest records in French swimming with two Olympic titles in London in 2012 and two world titles the following year.