Leon Baptiste, a British sprinter who won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, has been jailed for ten months in Morocco after being convicted of sexually assaulting a minor. Baptiste, 41, had been in the North African country for two months and was previously reported as missing.
Sources from the Moroccan Ministry of Justice confirmed Baptiste's arrest in Marrakech last May. He has since been convicted and is serving his sentence at Al-Oudaya prison. Reports of him being missing were described as inaccurate, with officials stating he was in good health and not subject to an unexplained absence.
Baptiste, who worked as a consultant sprinting coach for UK Athletics and was training athletes for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, had informed some of them in May that he would be absent for a period. An email sent on his behalf on Tuesday announced his resignation, citing unspecified ill health.
A spokesman for Morocco's Public Prosecution Office confirmed that a British national is serving a prison sentence in Marrakech following a court judgment. Baptiste was reportedly in Morocco with three other former British athletes, all of whom have since returned to the United Kingdom.
It is understood that Baptiste's family is aware of his custodial sentence. Several British sprinters, including Olympic medalist Charlie Dobson and Paralympic silver medalist Zac Shaw, have been left without coaching. Relay coach Martyn Rooney and European gold medalist Adam Gemili are reportedly assisting affected athletes.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated that they are supporting a British national detained in Morocco and are in contact with the local authorities.