Reports have surfaced accusing Wilfried Happio, a troubled runner at the Paris Olympics, of assaulting an ex-girlfriend.
The 400-meter hurdler has been the subject of three separate accusations of domestic violence, with two of the women having their accusations rejected. This time, he has been accused of punching his girlfriend in the head.
This complaint was filed just days before the quadrennial event is scheduled to begin on July 26.
Happio is scheduled to participate in the 400-meter hurdles on August 5. He has won two European titles and five French championships.
The 25-year-old has been the face of several Adidas advertisements and is widely recognized as a star player for the French national team, but he’s been linked multiple times to assaulting women.
The most recent complainant detailed her encounter with the Parisian in an interview with the French daily Le Monde.
Maria, using a pseudonym, told the newspaper that in their relationship from 2018 to 2019, Happio reportedly struck her on the head and slapped her. The woman, who was an athlete in her own right, further said that an assault while on vacation left her covered in bruises and bleeding from the nose.
He apparently did this twice before, the second time injuring her by slamming his bike into her thigh.
According to her, she now deeply regrets her earlier statement in the interview in which she said Happio had asked her to sign an affidavit stating he had never been violent, saying she was scared and “still in love.”
Happio’s attorney, Anthony Mottais, stated that Happio obviously denies being a violent or misogynistic man.
According to Mottais, the couple’s relationship was “extremely complicated,” which is typical of relationships among young adults. His denial of the accusations is categorical.
In 2020, Janet Scott said that he had punched her at a fast food restaurant’s parking lot.
The charges were dropped because he claimed self-defense. He did not deny striking her.
