Joël Chenal faces serious allegations. © APA

“He took photos”: Serious allegations against former ski star

Around 20 years ago, Joël Chenal celebrated the greatest success of his career at the Olympic Games in Turin. During the same period, the Frenchman was also allegedly guilty of sexual harassment – ​​against minors.

July 06, 2025

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According to a report in the French daily Le Monde Chenal, Olympic silver medalist in giant slalom at the 2006 Winter Games, has been accused of sexual harassment by seven women. Some of the incidents date back 20 years, and according to the media outlet, the victims were all minors. The offenses spanned a decade. Chenal's modus operandi was always the same: contacting them via social media, sending sexual messages, or requesting intimate photos.

A more detailed description was provided by one of the victims, who was 13 years old at the time of contact with Chenal. "One day, after many completely inappropriate messages, he asked me to come to his house and pose for him in scanty clothing," the woman was told by Le Monde quoted. "He took pictures."

Chenal partially denies the allegations

Chenal, who ended his career in March 2009, was confronted with the allegations and denied them – at least in part. The 51-year-old admitted to having sexual conversations with the victims, but denied ever having "considered visiting the young girls or behaving inappropriately toward them in any way," he wrote. Le Monde.

The French Ski Federation (FFS) plays a sad role in this story. It was already aware of the allegations 16 years ago. An investigation was ordered at the time, but was discontinued shortly thereafter. Between 2013 and 2017, Chenal coached France's women's ski team; a further allegation had no impact on his employment. "Our mistake was to rely on the results of the gendarmerie investigation. We should have been more reactive and more decisive," admitted federation president Michel Vion in retrospect.