A leading French skipper who unexpectedly quit the round-the-world Ocean Race earlier this month faces a legal probe over allegations of sexual assault against a crew member, a source in the French Sailing Federation said on Tuesday.
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Kevin Escoffier, 43, announced on June 3 that he was abandoning the Ocean Race while skippering the Swiss boat PRB-Holcim after an alleged “incident” with a member of his team during a stop in Newport in the United States on May 15.
His boat had led after each of the first four legs of the race.
After investigating, the French Sailing Federation has reported the allegations to prosecutors in Paris in order to launch a legal enquiry, a source at the federation told AFP, asking not to be identified.
Federation chief Jean-Luc Denechau told AFP last week that the incident involved “inappropriate behaviour towards a woman during a night-out”.
Escoffier hit international headlines in 2020 when he was dramatically rescued in the south Atlantic by a rival while competing in the Vendée Globe race.
He spent 11 hours clinging to his lifeboat after his boat dramatically split in two.
He won the Ocean Race in 2017-18 and also the Transat Jacques-Vabre in 2005.
(AFP)
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