French tennis player Fiona Ferro accuses former coach of sexual assault
Knowledgeable tennis participant from France who reached a career-high rating of No. 39 final yr has accused her former coach of rape and sexual assault.
The French Tennis Federation mentioned in an announcement Saturday that it’s “standing by” Fiona Ferro, a 25-year-old who misplaced in qualifying on the U.S. Open final week, “within the proceedings she has initiated in opposition to her former coach, Pierre Bouteyre.”
The federation added that it “is inspecting the potential for submitting a civil lawsuit on this case.”
“I’ve full confidence within the justice system of my nation and ensure that I don’t want to make every other assertion on the prison investigation,” Ferro mentioned.
The Related Press sometimes doesn’t establish individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted except they arrive ahead publicly, which Ferro has completed.
Ferro is the most recent feminine tennis participant to convey consideration to the difficulty of defending athletes from predatory coaches.
“We applaud Fiona for having the braveness to return ahead with these allegations. We’re happy to see a full investigation and authorized course of being pursued,” a WTA spokesperson mentioned by way of an emailed assertion on Saturday. “The WTA is devoted to making sure a protected surroundings throughout our tour. Safeguarding requires vigilance, and we’re persevering with to spend money on schooling, coaching, and sources to enhance our efforts.”
<a href=”https://twitter.com/vika7?ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>@vika7</a> has introduced up safeguarding throughout her press convention as we speak. The extra gamers, present and retired, are keen to deal with abuse, the quicker the office will grow to be safer. Thanks Vika. <a href=”https://t.co/5mIaOxrXHQ”>pic.twitter.com/5mIaOxrXHQ</a>
—@PHShriver
After profitable her third-round match on the U.S. Open on Saturday, two-time Australian Open champion Viktoria Azarenka was requested concerning the manipulation and exploitation of younger gamers by coaches.
She mentioned the WTA participant council, of which she’s a member, considers safeguarding a “No. 1 topic … as a result of we see these susceptible younger women that [are] getting taken benefit of in several conditions.”
In March, a tennis participant held a information convention after suing the U.S. Tennis Affiliation, saying the governing physique failed to guard her from a coach who she says sexually abused her at one in all its coaching centres when she was 19.
Kylie McKenzie mentioned that coach Anibal Aranda touched her inappropriately on the USTA’s coaching centre in Orlando, Fla., in line with a lawsuit filed in federal courtroom 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 first-person account revealed 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 finest help to Fiona Ferro. The easiest way to enhance safeguarding, is to inform our tales.”
Ferro has two profession titles and reached the fourth spherical of the 2020 French Open for the perfect Grand Slam exhibiting of her profession. She is ranked 259th presently.
“We want to specific our help for Fiona Ferro, whereas respecting the presumption of innocence, at a time that we all know is especially tough for her,” mentioned Gilles Moretton, president of the French federation. “The FFT’s sports activities integrity unit is presently aiding her and we’ll do all the pieces we are able to to assist her rebuild her life.”
