French Judo Gold Medalist "Assaulted by Boyfriend"... Public Outrage Over Not Guilty Verdict

French judo athlete Mago Pino, who revealed that she was assaulted by her boyfriend.
[Photo by Mago Pino, social media (SNS) capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] News has emerged that the public strongly protested after a boyfriend who assaulted a French judo athlete was acquitted.

On the 3rd (local time), the British Guardian reported that Margaux Pinot (27), the gold medalist in the mixed team judo event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was assaulted by her boyfriend and trainer Alain Schmitt (38) at an apartment on the outskirts of Paris on the 28th of last month. Margaux Pinot mainly competed in the women's under 70kg judo category and won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2019.

Pinot claimed that during an argument with Schmitt, he verbally abused her and repeatedly attempted physical violence, including forcing her face down on the ground and choking her. Pinot escaped the scene with the help of neighbors and reported the incident to the police, who arrested Schmitt at the scene.

On the 1st, during a court hearing, Schmitt reportedly claimed it was a fight between lovers and alleged mutual assault. The prosecution sought a one-year prison sentence for Schmitt, citing the severity of the violence, but the court acquitted him due to insufficient evidence. During the preliminary hearing, the judge reportedly stated, "There is not enough evidence to continue the prosecution," and "The court cannot determine who is telling the truth and who is lying."

However, dissatisfied with the court's ruling, Pinot posted a photo on her social media showing her face bruised and swollen. She also wrote, "The apartment floor was soaked with blood. If it had continued, I would have died," and added, "Perhaps because I practiced judo, I was able to save my life. I stand with women who cannot speak out like me."

After the photo was made public, a wave of controversy swept through French society. Judo team members who competed with Pinot at the Olympics expressed their support for her, and Roxana Maracineanu, the Minister of Sports, repeatedly emphasized, "The victim in this case is clearly Pinot." Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and a member of the Socialist Party (PS) who declared her candidacy for France's first female presidency, also expressed her support for Pinot.

Meanwhile, Schmitt, accused as the perpetrator, held a press conference on the 2nd, claiming, "After drinking, I stopped by Pinot's house to print some documents before leaving for Israel, and she was the one who initiated the fight by throwing herself at me." He also stated, "We only pushed each other against walls, radiators, and doors; I did not throw any punches," and added, "I have only been subjected to a media lynching deceived by Pinot's lies."