Sailing: Kevin Escoffier is "at the disposal of sports institutions", after accusations of sexual violence

The skipper Kevin Escoffier, who is since Monday the subject of a report to the sexual violence cell of the Ministry of Sports for facts that occurred in May in the United States, said Tuesday to be "at the disposal of sports institutions".

The sailor explained in a statement sent to AFP that he "is at the disposal of sports institutions" and that he has "taken the decision to retire from his duties as skipper, to respect the time of the race and preserve the project and his Holcim-PRB Team fully mobilized for the final victory".

The 43-year-old sailor spoke Tuesday in an interview with L'Équipe and Ouest-France "an incident with a member of the Holcim-PRB team", occurred in Newport during a stopover of the round the world race The Ocean Race from May 10 to 21, but did not wish to give details on the events.

«

I made a number of phone calls that led me to think that what was presented as an alleged incident would be inappropriate behavior he would have had towards a woman at a party, "said Monday Jean-Luc Denéchau, president of the French Sailing Federation (FFV).

«

The eventual day of the procedure, I will go and explain myself, "said his side Escoffier to L'Equipe.

Contacted Tuesday about the sailor's statements, the Holcim-PRB team, which Escoffier left Saturday, did not wish to comment.

On Monday, the FFV made a report to the unit dedicated to sexual violence of the Ministry of Sports about Escoffier.

According to a source close to the case, it would be "a sexual assault". "No complaints have been received by The Ocean Race to date," organizers of the crewed race with stopover said Tuesday.

After calling at Newport, the sailors of The Ocean Race, including the French navigator, had taken the direction of Aarhus (Denmark), where they arrived on May 29.

PRB-Holcim, with Escoffier as skipper, was leader of the general classification since the start in January, before ceding first place in the 5th stage to the American crew 11th Hour.

Escoffier, 43, won The Ocean Race in 2017-2018 and also has the 2005 Transat Jacques-Vabre to his credit.