educated tennis participant from France who reached a profession-extreme rating of No. 39 final yr has accused her former coach of rape and sexual assault.
The French Tennis Federation mentioned in a press launch Saturday that it is “standing by” Fiona Ferro, a 25-yr-previous who misplaced in qualifying on the U.S. Open final week, “inside the proceedings she has initiated in direction of her former coach, Pierre Bouteyre.”
The federation added that it “is analyzing the potential of submitting a civil lawsuit on this case.”
“i’ve full confidence inside the justice system of my nation and make optimistic that i do not have the will to make every fully different assertion on the felony investigation,” Ferro mentioned.
The associated Press typically would not decide people who say they’ve been sexually assaulted besides they arrive forward publicly, which Ferro has finished.
Ferro is the most latest feminine tennis participant to carry consideration to the draw again of defending athletes from predatory coaches.
“We applaud Fiona for having the braveness to return forward with these allegations. we’re glad to see a full investigation and authorized course of being pursued,” a WTA spokesperson mentioned through an emailed assertion on Saturday. “The WTA is devoted to guaranteeing a safe setting throughout our tour. Safeguarding requires vigilance, and we’re persevering with to place money into education, teaching, and sources to reinforce our efforts.”
@vika7 has launched up safeguarding all by her press convention right now. The extra gamers, current and retired, are prepared to deal with abuse, the sooner the office will develop to be safer. thanks Vika. pic.twitter.com/5mIaOxrXHQ
After worthwhile her third-spherical match on the U.S. Open on Saturday, two-time Australian Open champion Viktoria Azarenka was requested with regard to the manipulation and exploitation of youthful gamers by coaches.
She mentioned the WTA participant council, of which she’s a member, considers safeguarding a “No. 1 topic … as a consequence of we see these susceptible youthful women that [are] getting taken benefit of in a quantity of situations.”
In March, a tennis participant held a information convention after suing the U.S. Tennis affiliation, saying the governing physique did not shield her from a coach who she says sexually abused her at definitely one of its teaching centres when she was 19.
Kylie McKenzie mentioned that coach Anibal Aranda touched her inappropriately on the USTA’s teaching centre in Orlando, Fla., in protecting with a lawsuit filed in federal court docket in central Florida. The lawsuit says Aranda, who was employed by the USTA for about seven years and later fired, used his place as a USTA coach to get entry to susceptible feminine athletes.
In April, former tennis participant Pam Shriver, now a tv commentator, revealed in a foremost-particular person account printed by British newspaper The Telegraph that she “had an inappropriate and damaging relationship with my a lot older coach” that started when she was 17 and he was 50.
After phrase of Ferro’s accusation emerged, Shriver tweeted: “Sending my best assist to Fiona Ferro. the easiest method to reinforce safeguarding, is to inform our tales.”
Ferro has two profession titles and reached the fourth spherical of the 2020 French Open for most probably the solely Grand Slam displaying of her profession. She is ranked 259th at present.
“we want to particular our assist for Fiona Ferro, whereas respecting the presumption of innocence, at a time that all of us know is notably troublesome for her,” mentioned Gilles Moretton, president of the French federation. “The FFT’s sports activities integrity unit is at present helping her and we’re going to do all the pieces we will to assist her rebuild her life.”
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