Tony Estanguet Noel Le-Graet France Sporting handball Rugby Tony Estanguet Noel Le-Graet France

French handball league chief faces sexual misconduct charges

channelnewsasia.com

PARIS : The head of France's LNH Handball league faces charges of corruption of a minor and recording of child pornography images, the Paris prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.Bruno Martini, 52, who as a goalkeeper won two world championship titles with France, was questioned by police on Monday and Tuesday, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office said.He was then allowed to go home as his case was transferred to judges in a fast-track procedure for defendants who admit the charges they face, the spokesperson said.

Reuters could not immediately reach Martini for comment. An LNH spokesperson said the league would issue a statement after a meeting on Wednesday.Franceinfo radio, which first reported the case, said the investigation dated back to a complaint lodged by a 13-year-old boy in 2020 and quoted Martini as saying he believed the boy was over 15 - the age of consent in France.

Reuters was unable immediately to confirm this.The case is the latest judicial investigation involving a high-level sports official as France gears up to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

French prosecutors said this month they had opened an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against French soccer federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet.

Related News
The probe was opened on Monday after football agent Sonia Souid made accusations against Le Graët in an affair that has rocked French football just weeks after the national team, Les Bleus, were beaten by Argentina in the World Cup final.
Former France back-row Olivier Magne said off-the-field problems bedevilling the country's rugby are "sad" to see as Les Bleus prepare to start the defence of their Six Nations crown on Sunday.
Bernard Laporte on Friday resigned his role as president of France's rugby union federation after being convicted of corruption, the sports minister said.
French rugby was thrown into further turmoil just over seven months before the World Cup as Bernard Laporte resigned as president of the French rugby federation (FFR).
PARIS :French rugby was thrown into further turmoil just over seven month before the World Cup as Bernard Laporte resigned as president of the French rugby federation (FFR) amid legal trouble on Friday.

Latest News

Change privacy settings
This page might use cookies if your analytics vendor requires them.