Police arrest double Olympic swimming champion following rape claims

French swimmer Yannick Agnel, who won two gold medals at the 2012 Olympics, was taken into police custoday on Thursday as part of an investigation into the rape of a minor, the Mulhouse prosecutor's office told AFP.

The 29-year-old was arrested in Paris and placed in police custody in Mulhouse in eastern France, the city's public prosecutor, Edwige Roux-Morizot, told AFP.

The prosecutor said a complaint had been filed for incidents "around 2016" including the "rape and sexual assault on a 15-year-old minor".

Agnel came to international prominence at the 2010 European championships when he won gold in the 400-metre freestyle setting a new French and championships record.

Two years later he starred at the London Olympics when he took gold in the 200m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle as well as silver in the 4x200m freestyle.

He collected gold in the same two events in the 2013 world championships.

Agnel went to Rio in 2016 to defend his 200m freestyle title but failed to get through the heats, announcing his retirement from swimming soon after.

SOURCE: AFP