Former gold medallist and British athletics coach Leon Baptiste is serving a 10-month prison sentence in Morocco following a conviction for sexually assaulting a minor.
Key facts
- •Leon Baptiste won a 200m gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
- •Baptiste was arrested in Marrakech in May.
- •The UK Foreign Office confirmed it is supporting a British national detained in Morocco.
- •Baptiste travelled to Marrakech with three other British former athletes who have since returned to the UK.
- •Baptiste's family is aware of his imprisonment.
Leon Baptiste, an English athletics coach and former Commonwealth Games gold medallist, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison in Morocco for the sexual assault of a minor. Baptiste, who worked as a consultant sprinting coach for UK Athletics, had been reported as missing in media reports after going off the grid more than three months ago.
Circumstances of the disappearance
In May, Baptiste sent a message to the athletes he coached stating he would be absent from training for a while. Neither the athletes nor UK Athletics received further explanation regarding his whereabouts. On Tuesday, Baptiste sent an email to his group of athletes resigning from his position and citing unspecified ill health.
Confirmation of imprisonment
A source at the Moroccan Ministry of Justice confirmed that Baptiste was arrested in Marrakech in May and is currently serving a custodial sentence at Al-Oudaya prison. The Ministry stated that reports of his disappearance were inaccurate, noting that he had not lost contact with his surroundings. A spokesperson for the Morocco Public Prosecution Office confirmed the conviction and the custodial sentence.
Timeline
- MayBaptiste sent a message to his athletes stating he would be absent and was arrested in Marrakech.
- Over the weekendMedia reports emerged claiming Baptiste was missing.
- TuesdayBaptiste sent an email to his athletes resigning from his coaching position.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Sport.
