French figure skater Morgan Cipres, once a promising contender for the 2022 Winter Olympics, is facing child sexual abuse allegations after he sent nude photos of himself to a 13-year-old girl.

Cipres, now 29, is from France but was training in Florida when he purportedly sent two explicit photographs to a 13-year-old girl on Dec. 3, 2017. The pictures allegedly were sent via direct messaging in Instagram to the American girl, also a figure skater who was training at the same skating rink.

Upon investigation, USA TODAY Sports reported the messages looked like they were sent from the verified Instagram account of Cipres.

Cipres is facing a felony charge of transmitting material harmful to a minor by electronic device.  A warrant has been issued for his arrest, but it is believed Cipres is currently in France. The case was filed by the Florida state attorney’s office on Tuesday, Dec. 8. If convicted, Cipres could face a maximum of five years in prison for the third-degree felony.

Center for SafeSport Investigates Sexual Abuse Allegations

While the criminal investigation is being led by the Sheriff’s Office in Pasco County, Florida, the relatively new entity, U.S. Center for SafeSport, is conducting its own investigation.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport opened in March 2017 to help prevent abuse. The center is federally authorized under the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017. This allows the Center to develop resources and design policies to protect young athletes from bullying, harassment, hazings, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sexual misconduct.

“The law entrusts the Center as the exclusive authority to respond to reports of allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct within the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and their recognized National Governing Bodies,” according to the Center for SafeSport’s website.

Cipres and his skating pairs partner Vanessa James announced they were retiring from the sport on Sept. 29^th, allegedly just shortly after the Center for SafeSports shared evidence of Cipres’ misconduct with the French Federation of Ice Sports, according to USA Today.

Victim Allegedly Told to Keep Quiet

Cipres had two coaches, former Olympians John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana, both of whom allegedly threatened the girl and her family from saying anything to police or to SafeSport because Cipres and James were about to embark on their journey to the 2018 Winter Olympics, where they ended up placing fifth.

Zimmerman, who is a member of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and Fontana, an Italian who represented her homeland in the early 2000s, both deny intimidating the child to remain silent over the sexual abuse allegations against Cipres.

The girl did not cooperate with authorities at first, but the investigation was reopened in June of this year and is considered to be active and ongoing with full cooperation from the victim, who the parents say has been in therapy since shortly after the incident.

Digital Technology and Sexual Abuse

Even though digital technology allows us to access entire libraries of information with just a few clicks, this same technology makes it easier for predators to harass victims.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), sexual predators are apt to use “photos, videos, social media, and dating apps – to engage in harassing, unsolicited, or non-consensual sexual interactions.”

As a result, the recipient of such unwanted contact may feel unsafe, manipulated, or anxious. If the recipient is a minor or the images involve a minor, the communication should be reported to law enforcement or by calling 911 right away. RAINN also says a report may be placed through the Cyber Tipline, which reaches the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

In recent years, child predators and the organizations that have enabled the abuse to continue have been held accountable in court and in class action settlements amounting to millions of dollars.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.