Sexual violence in judo: a new (very) embarrassing case

One week before an election where Jean-Luc Rougé, 71, is aiming for a fifth term as president of the French Judo Federation, a new case of sexual violence, this time targeting a former French judo executive, embarrasses the authorities.

The pre-election climate in judo is reminiscent of skating a few months ago.

Since the testimony published in the Parisian ten days ago of a judoka telling to have been raped by her trainer when she was a minor, the tongues are loosening.

Testimonies are pouring in, and business is going out.

Judo, along with horseback riding and skating, "is one of the most affected sports," said Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu.

Twenty cases of sexual violence out of the 330 identified by the cell set up at the Ministry of Sports currently targets judo, one of the most practiced sports in France with nearly half a million licensees.

And if these cases shed a dim light on the climate that seems to reign in this sport, the latest case, revealed by AFP, raises questions about its management by the authorities of French judo.

" They know each other.

But at the same time, at this level, it's normal ”

A source at AFP

A former executive of the French Judo Federation between 2012 and 2016, coach in a club in northern France, was in fact recently suspended by the federation, suspected of several sexual assaults, AFP learned from corroborating sources.

The man, in his sixties, is no stranger to the world of judo.

He was part of the management committee of the federation for four years, and, as such, worked alongside the current president of the FF judo, Jean-Luc Rougé.

" They know each other.

But at the same time, at this level, it is normal, “said a source close to the case, which ensures that this coach had already been the subject of a report.

“A few years ago someone reported incriminating this former league president.

But nothing has ever been done ”, assures this source.

A case that questions

The person who reported these facts could not be reached by AFP.

According to several sources, this ex-leader of French judo was the trainer of the professor indicted for rape of a minor, whose victim testified in the Parisian.

"They were in the same club", assures a source to the federation.

“I received a letter from the federation and I know where it comes from.

They have raised suspicions about me.

These are disagreements between people in a club, "defended the former member of the management of the federation suspended from AFP.

But this case raises questions.

The day after the publication of the testimony in Le Parisien, on November 3, Jean-Luc Rougé and several officials of the federation participated in a crisis meeting, according to sources inside the federation.

The case of this former leader was then mentioned, "as being likely to arise", assures one of these sources.

Reached by AFP, Jean-Luc Rougé said "do not remember having mentioned the name of this person" during this meeting. He claims to have been alerted to this coach for the first time during a meeting with the Minister of Sports on the evening of November 3. "When we exchanged our lifts (reports, editor's note), with Jean-Luc, this person was not in their table," assured the Minister of Sports Roxana Maracineanu.

An essential awareness

Were the federation or some of its members aware of the actions of one of their own?

An inspection mission launched in judo will allow, according to the Minister of Sports to "investigate further to see what is happening with these people who have sailed to different positions within the federation".

This new case contributes in any case to an awareness in judo.

"How could a coach operate like this for years without anyone seeing him?"

“Asks a former judoka who requested anonymity.

“Things will have to change”.

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