UK Athletics coach Leon Baptiste jailed in Morocco for sexual assault
Former gold medallist resigned from his role citing ill health, but Moroccan authorities confirmed he is serving a reduced eight-month sentence for assaulting a minor.
Leon Baptiste, a former English athletics gold medallist and consultant sprinting coach for UK Athletics, is serving a prison sentence in Morocco for sexually assaulting a minor. The conviction has been confirmed by the Moroccan Ministry of Justice, which stated that reports of his "disappearance" were inaccurate. Baptiste, 41, is currently held at Al-Oudaya prison in Marrakech, where he is in good health.
Baptiste was arrested in Marrakech in May, shortly after sending a brief message to the athletes he was coaching stating he would be absent "for a while". His sudden loss of contact during the critical preparation period for the Commonwealth Games and European Championships led to media speculation that he had gone missing. On Tuesday, he resigned from his position with UK Athletics, citing unspecified ill health in an email sent on his behalf.
Moroccan authorities clarified that the British national had not lost contact with his surroundings and was not subject to any unexplained absence. A spokesperson for the Morocco Public Prosecution Office confirmed the sentence and the nature of the conviction, describing it as a criminal case involving a minor, who is deemed to be under 18 in Morocco. The original sentence of 10 months was reduced to eight months on appeal.
The incident has caused significant disruption to British sprint training. Athletes including Olympic bronze medallist Charlie Dobson and Paralympic silver medallist Zac Shaw were left without a designated coach ahead of major championships. Sources indicated that the sprinters were left ill-prepared and frustrated during a crucial period of their careers.
Adam Gemili, a four-time European gold medallist, and relay coach Martyn Rooney stepped in to provide extra assistance to the affected athletes. Baptiste had been voted England athletics coach of the year at the Sporting Equals awards in 2023, following his retirement from competition at age 28 due to knee issues after winning two gold medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed they are supporting a British national detained in Morocco and are in contact with the authorities. Baptiste travelled to Marrakech with three other British former athletes, who have since returned to the United Kingdom. UK Athletics has been approached for comment regarding the resignation and the impact on the national squad.
