Her revelations caused a tsunami in the world of French sport in 2020. Former figure skating champion Sarah Abitbol confided in the rapes she had suffered from her trainer Gilles Beyer when she was between 15 and 17 years old. It wasn’t until nearly 30 years later that she managed to speak about it publicly. His book Such a long silenceco-written with the journalist of The Obs Emmanuelle Anizon at Plon editions, was a shock wave and allowed to free the word of other athletes, all disciplines combined.
Two years later, it is in a documentary that Sarah Abitbol resumes her story. Several of his relatives, including his mother and his brother, testify in this documentary by Emmanuelle Anizon and Rémy Burkel, broadcast Wednesday, May 11 at 9:10 p.m. on France 2.
“My small notoriety and this visibility after the release of my book are a precious help for a good number of girls and boys who will recognize themselves in this fight. For parents too, to do prevention. And it was important the extension of this word by this prime time documentary. It was not easy. There was a lot of crying, but I held on once again and today, I would say that I am not a victim, I I’m more of a champion. And I’m becoming proud of my journey”says Sarah Abitbol.
Proud to have broken the omerta, to have given the courage to other victims to denounce their attacker. For Sarah Abitbol, shame must change sides.
“My best Olympic gold medal is to be able to walk with my head held high now. It’s a rebirth. I devour life little by little.”
Sarah Abitbolon franceinfo
“I still have hard times, but I fight and I also fight for others, for all victims. The law against the imprescribility of sexual crimes must pass. And traumatic amnesia must enter into the law because you forget for 30 years, 20 years. And when you wake up, it’s too late.” concludes Sarah Abitbol.