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Olympic swimming champion Agnel denies coercion in rape case

France Agnel Arrested
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PARIS (AP) — The prosecutor in the rape case of two-time Olympic swimming champion Yannick Agnel says the Frenchman has admitted to having a relationship with an underage girl but denied coercion.

Prosecutor Edwige Roux-Morizot says Agnel "recognizes the materiality of the alleged facts" but she said he did not have "the feeling that there was coercion."

Agnel was 24 when the alleged rape took place.

The girl was reportedly 13.

Agnel was arrested in Paris last week.

He was handed preliminary charges on Saturday and the case was sent to Mulhouse in eastern France.

According to the Associated Press, the supposed events occurred in 2016 in several countries, including Brazil, Spain, and Thailand.

Agnel was arrested in Paris last week. On Saturday, he was handed preliminary charges and the case was sent to Mulhouse, eastern France.

In France, it's illegal for an adult to have consensual sex with anyone under the age of 15, the news outlet reported.

The two-time gold medal swimmer faces up to 20 years in jail.