At the coach’s appeals trial, the judokas again objected to their versions on Friday. The prosecution has asked for a one-year suspended prison sentence for Alain Schmitt, accused of domestic violence by his ex-girlfriend.
His release at first instance in Bobigny four months ago had caused controversy. Retried on appeal, Alain Schmitt once again delivered his version of events before the Paris Court of Appeal. The two athletes presented a contradictory account of the facts, which date back to the night of November 28, 2021 at the home of Margaux Pinot in Blanc-Mesnil (Seine-Saint-Denis).
Alain Schmitt, who coaches the Olympic champion at the Étoile Sportive du Blanc-Mesnil club, has had a secret love affair with the judoka since 2017. To, according to him, escape from a relationship”fusional“And”destructive“, in the words of the Advocate General, Alain Schmitt has accepted a position as coach of the Israel women’s national team. On the night of November 28, the former French team member must therefore fly to this new life.
After an evening with friends, Alain Schmitt joined Margaux Pinot at around two in the morning. The couple argue and insult each other. Alain Schmitt tells a “explosionAccording to him, Margaux Pinot, mad with rage and jealousy, then throws herself on him. The two former lovers fight over rooms. According to Alain Schmitt, the bruises observed in the following days on the two protagonists are explained by hitting objects or walls during this fight. Again according to his account, neither of them hit the other.
A version disputed by Margaux Pinot. “Running into that place is complicated all the same“, replies the judoka when the president wonders how she could have ended up with wounds under her eyes”.It’s the hematoma that’s sunk in“, Alain Schmitt advances instead. The latter also claims that the allegations of domestic violence were “something premeditated” by Margaux Pinot to prevent their relationship from ending like this.
Explanations”scalable” on both sides
For her part, the judoka recounts a wave of violence by her then partner. “He rips my hair off the bed. She straddles me, punches me“, says the athlete, who explains that Alain Schmitt then “he hit his head two or three times on the floorand then tried to strangle him.
As in the first instance, the prosecution requested a one-year suspended prison sentence for Alain Schmitt. The prosecutor also asked for a ban on seeing the victim and an internship against domestic violence. “Overall, what Ms. Pinot describes is largely confirmed by medical findings“, estimated the Advocate General Olivier L’Etang, who however indicated explanations”scalable” on both sides.
All my life I worked normally
“It is the world of judo that is rotten. All my life I worked normally. The last six years have been very good. They’re just people who don’t accept that the girls who have their project in hand can train a little differently. And then putting things on our backs every day, hitting each other every day, inventing stories about people… And trying to give me an image, like today, in another environment“reacted Alain Schmitt to the press.
At the end of 2021 the lawsuit had given rise to aa media battle between Alain Schmitt and Margaux Pinot. The judoka had notably posted a photo of her swollen face on social networks. As for the appeal, the court’s decision will be announced on June 10.
