Info franceinfo One of the coaches of the French women’s artistic gymnastics team, Nellu Pop, suspended as a precautionary measure by the Ministry of Sports

An administrative investigation was launched by the Ministry of Sports in May 2023, after the broadcast of a report from Stage 2 in which former athletes of the French team spoke about acts of violence and mistreatment.

Thunderclap for French gymnastics a few months before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. One of the three coaches of the French women’s artistic gymnastics team, Nellu Pop, was suspended from his duties as a precautionary measure, for four months of the Paris Olympic Games.

“As part of an administrative investigation carried out by the ministry, facts falling under article 40 of the code of criminal procedure concerning Mr. Pop were brought to the attention of the Sports Directorate [qui définit la stratégie nationale de l’Etat dans le champ du sport et met en œuvre les priorités ministérielles]. They were reported to the public prosecutor. It was decided to suspend Mr. Pop from his duties with the French team as a precautionary measure, to allow the legal and administrative procedures to take place peacefully.explains a source at the Ministry of Sports to the France Télévisions sports department, Wednesday March 6.

An administrative investigation was launched by the Ministry of Sports in May 2023 after the broadcast of a report from Stage 2 in which former athletes of the French team spoke about acts of violence and mistreatment. More than 40 reports and testimonies have arrived at the “Signal Sports” unit, which deals with violence and in particular VSS (sexist and sexual violence). Some concern Nellu Pop, historic coach of the French women’s artistic gymnastics team, and led the ministry’s services to initiate a report to the prosecutor, before this suspension.

“The official information has not been notified to us at this time. However, if it is notified, the Federation will cooperate with the ministry and with the authorities to guarantee both transparency and the transmission of all information which will shed light on the facts. The Federation will also take the necessary measures, in parallel with the ministry.”reacted to franceinfo: sport the French Gymnastics Federation, early Wednesday afternoon.

A psychological unit open to Insep

Nellu, Dimitru’s real first name, Pop is of Romanian origin. He was the assistant to Octavian Bellu (Romanian national coach) during the 1992 Olympic Games, before becoming the coach of the French champion Ludivine Furnon, vice-world champion on floor in 1995. The latter was the first French world medalist in the history of gymnastics. Since 2013, he has been a coach at Insep (National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance).

According to information from Thierry Vildary, from the France Télévisions sports department, the athletes of the French women’s team, who are partly in Saint-Etienne for tests for the next stages of the World Cup, and at Insep, will be kept informed in the day. uA psychological support unit has also been set up at Insep.