An investigation was opened on Thursday, July 6, after a report made by the French Sailing Federation (FFVoile) concerning skipper Kevin Escoffier for events that occurred in the United States in May, the Paris prosecutor's office announced on Friday.
"After analysis of the first elements, the brigade for the repression of delinquency against persons was seized", specified the prosecution, recalling that the report of the FFVoile related to "sexual assault or inappropriate behavior". Contacted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), neither Mr. Escoffier nor his lawyer could be reached immediately.
Kevin Escoffier, 43, announced he was leaving the Holcim-PRB stable on June 3 after discussing "an alleged incident" with a member of his team, which occurred in Newport in May, during a stopover of The Ocean Race. . According to a source familiar with the matter, "the facts are related to a sexual assault".
"Repeated slippages", according to "Le Canard enchaîné"
The federation initially seized the sexual violence unit of the Ministry of Sports, in charge of an administrative investigation, and then decided to take legal action directly by bringing into play article 40 which allows an authority to do so when she has knowledge of an offense or a crime.
"I made a number of phone calls which led me to believe that what was presented as an alleged incident was inappropriate behavior he allegedly exhibited towards a woman at a party," explained on June 5, the president of the FFVoile, Jean-Luc Denéchau. In mid-June, Le Canard enchaîné had reported the testimony of several people describing "repeated slippages" by the Breton navigator towards women.
Kevin Escoffier won The Ocean Race in 2017-2018 and also has the Transat Jacques-Vabre 2005 to his name, as well as the Jules-Verne Trophy in 2012, on Loïck Peyron's maxi-trimaran Banque Populaire V. Before leaving the PRB-Holcim team, he wanted to take on the 2024 Vendée Globe. He had been one of the heroes of the last edition. Wrecked in the storm off the Cape of Good Hope, he jumped into his life raft before being rescued in extremis by a competitor, Jean Le Cam.
