In the midst of a scandal of sexual violence in skating revealed in recent days, languages are loosening up in the French sports environment. This Wednesday, several members of the High-Level Athletes Commission sign a forum published by Le Parisien this Wednesday. In all, 54 top-level athletes, including skiers Ophélie David and Marie Martinod, skater Nathalie Péchalat and judoka Teddy Riner, say they are "revolted" and call for "breaking the silence".
"Too often speaking is risking your future"
These sportsmen evoke in particular a feeling of responsibility and guilt: "we have all happened to have doubts, suspicions, bits of information ... The flagrant crime is rare and it is not easy to know how to react face intuition or rumor. What can we say? And to whom? Competition is also selection. Too often speaking is risking your future, "they explain. But today, these athletes have decided to put an end to this silence: "We can no longer be silent! It is time to act collectively and realize that breaking the silence also means serving sport. ”
"It's time to act collectively and realize that breaking the silence also means serving sport"
In this forum, the athletes also try to provide solutions to help the victims, in particular "the creation of a victim listening cell, independent of the federations and required to respect the fullest anonymity", but also systematic checks of "lockers and background of volunteers, coaches and leaders of clubs and federations". Finally, they call for legislative measures "allowing the dismissal of any individual, whatever their status, involved in a case of sexual violence".
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