Sailing coach apologizes in court for raping a minor athlete

His own interpretations of what happened 10 years ago to the 21-year-old today, a sailing athlete who accuses him of rape while she was a minor, she is expected to testify today before the Mixed Jury Court the 39-year-old coach tried for serious offenses of sexual violence against the girl.

THE 39-year-old who was reported by the athlete at the beginning of the meToo movement in Greece in January 2021 is called to apologize today for what is attributed to him in the case file that was formed, when Amalia encouraged by the golden Olympian Sofia Bekatorou went to the authorities and talked about what she claims she suffered from the age of 11 to 14 from the man who coached her in her favorite sport.

After many meetings and the examination of many witnesses, residents of the city where the athlete and her family live, the trial that started with a postponement last April, enters today its final straight for the verdict of the judges.

The coach is faced with allegations of continuing rape, child molestation and seduction of a minorwith the same to categorically denies the first and most serious act of criminal treatment and yes admits that he had sex with his athlete since she completed her 13th year. He also claims that the bond he had with Amalia had the acceptance, if not the approval, of the athlete’s parents and especially of her mother.

In the proceedings that preceded the examination of witnesses, the court was confronted with testimonies that seemed to have specific assumptions. The local community seems to believe that the minor and her almost 20 years older coach “had a relationship” and that the family was not at all negative in the marriage of the minor with the accused.

Amalia’s mother and father in their testimonies, denied any such version, referring to a warm friendship they maintained with the 39-year-old, whom they trusted. They also testified that they were informed of what was happening, while they themselves accepted the accused as their accomplice, from a message sent to them by their daughter.

The athlete has complained that the 39-year-old threatened her that he would harm her family, if he said what he did to her and that he was operating in a state of psychological pressure, fear, confusion and anxiety.

Before weighing the facts and assessing the two sides, the court wanted to reconsider both the parents and Amalia herself, trying to identify issues that mainly concern the concept of unlawful violence or the threat of violence as a key component of rape.

Sofia Bekatorou, who testified in court, stated, citing her status as a Psychology graduate, that the case of the athlete clearly concerns the multiple rapes of a minor girl who he was manipulated and seduced first mentally and then physically by the accused.

The current apology of the coach, the way he will be positioned, the allegations he will make to convince for his reason against that of the 21-year-old, will give the judges one more element that he will evaluate, before judging the case criminally, while giving a answer to legal questions raised in the present case.