An investigation opened in Paris after a report targeting the navigator Kevin Escoffier

An investigation was opened on Thursday, July 6, following a report from the French Sailing Federation (FFVoile) about skipper Kevin Escoffier, the Paris prosecutor’s office announced on Friday. “After analysis of the first elements, the brigade for the repression of delinquency against people was seized”said the prosecution, requested by AFP, recalling that the report relates to “sexual assault or inappropriate behavior”.

The facts occurred in May with a young woman in the United States, during a stopover of the race The Ocean Race, added the prosecution. The federation initially seized the sexual violence unit of the Ministry of Sports, in charge of an administrative investigation, then decided to take legal action, by bringing into play article 40 which allows an authority to do so when it has knowledge of an offense or a crime. “I made a number of phone calls which led me to believe that what was presented as an alleged incident was inappropriate behavior he allegedly exhibited towards a woman at a party”explained on June 5 the president of the FFVoile, Jean-Luc Denéchau.

Kevin Escoffier, 43, announced he was leaving the PRB-Holcim team on June 3, after discussing “an alleged incident” with a member of his team in Newport, in May, during a stopover of The Ocean Race. Mid-June, THE chained duck had reported the testimony of several people describing “repeated slips” of the Breton navigator towards women. Contacted by AFP, neither the skipper nor his lawyer could be reached immediately.