The exercise was not easy, but Wilfried Happio assumed.
Friday, the French athlete appeared before the press, at Hamilton Hall in the heart of the University of Oregon where the Blues are staying during these Worlds in Eugene.
To discuss his entry into the series of the 400m hurdles (this Saturday at 10:20 p.m.), his desires for the final and record, but also the extra-sporting.
And in particular this complaint of which he is the subject, accused of sexual assault by a young girl.
“The case is now in the hands of justice, I trust justice, I think there is no one better placed to carry out this investigation and to respond to it”, summarizes Wilfried Happio.
The investigation promises to be complex.
On June 25, while warming up before his 400m hurdles final at the French Championships in Caen, Happio was physically attacked.
Despite a violent punch received in the face, he took the start, a blindfold protecting an impressive bruise in his left eye, and won the race by beating his personal best, to bring it to 48′'57 an excellent time.
Three days later, the sister of her attacker went to the police station of the 12th arrondissement of Paris to file a complaint for sexual assault.
Insep opened an internal investigation, not the FFA
The facts that she denounces date back to October 2021 and would have taken place on the premises of Insep, where the two athletes live.
Friday, Wilfried Happio explained that he had not yet been summoned to the police station but that he had had the opportunity to explain the facts to representatives of Insep.
Fabien Canu, the director of the Institute located in the Bois de Vincennes, confirmed to us that he had asked “at this stage, the opening of an internal investigation.
»
This is not the case of the French Athletics Federation, which explains, however, "follow the file closely".
If it has the possibility of seizing the disciplinary committee, the FFA has not made this choice.
“It wasn't the right timing,” explains Patrick Ranvier, the national technical director.
"We have to be careful not to want to deal with business ourselves, which is not our job," he says.
I don't think we have to take the place of justice and we are not in absolute urgency.
Today, Wilfried is presumed innocent.
In this case, nothing prevents him from participating.
»
The question of his selection for the Eugene Worlds therefore did not arise.
"Me, I refocused on the track and the sporting side, because I think it's my role to represent my country in good and due form", underlines Wilfried Happio who admits however to be affected by the situation.
“To say no would be to lie.
But I do a sport where you have to stay mentally strong and I have to be there for these World Championships.
»