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Bruno Martini
Photo: Michael Baucher / IMAGO / PanoramiC
According to media reports, the French judiciary is investigating the president of the French handball league, Bruno Martini, on suspicion of abusing minors and possessing child pornography.
The 52-year-old was arrested on Monday, the France Info station reported on Wednesday.
Martini admitted the allegations and has since agreed to a one-year suspended sentence.
France's sports minister speaks out
"Like everyone else this morning, I am deeply shocked by this information that the judiciary has taken up," France's Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wrote on Twitter.
The instances of handball had mobilized quickly and would discuss the situation.
Meanwhile, the French handball association FFH distanced itself from the league president on Wednesday.
"The Handball Federation was amazed to learn today of the extremely serious facts that Bruno Martini, President of the Ligue Nationale de Handball, has been accused of and which he seems to admit and which have no place in sport."
The association called on Martini to resign from all his offices in view of the allegations and the role model function of an elected representative.
He complied with the request shortly thereafter.
Champions League winner with Montpellier, German champion with Kiel
During his playing days, Martini was one of the most successful goalkeepers in French handball.
With the national team, he won the world championship title in 1995 and 2001, among other things.
In the Bundesliga he played for HC Wuppertal.
After retiring in 2009, the goalkeeper celebrated a comeback in the same year as a substitute for the injured Andreas Palicka and became German champion with THW Kiel.
Martini also won the Champions League title in 2003 with top French club Montpellier HB.
mfu/dpa
