Olympic champion Amaury Leveaux faces Paris trial over domestic violence allegations
Former Olympic swimming champion Amaury Leveaux will stand trial in Paris on 10 March 2027 after police arrested him on suspicion of threatening his partner with a knife and shaking their infant child.
Arrest and domestic violence allegations
French police placed 40-year-old former Olympic swimming champion Amaury Leveaux into custody on 29 September 2026 at the 8th arrondissement police station in Paris, where he resides. The arrest followed a domestic altercation that occurred late on Monday at his home in the French capital. Investigators opened proceedings after Leveaux was accused of threatening his partner with a knife during the domestic dispute. Authorities also investigated allegations that he shook the couple's infant child, who is between five and six months old. Medical staff subsequently admitted the infant to a hospital to evaluate whether the child suffered from shaken baby syndrome. Police held Leveaux in custody before transferring him to the Paris judicial court on 1 October.
Defence response and March 2027 trial date
Following his appearance before a prosecutor on 2 October, judicial authorities summoned Leveaux to appear before the Paris criminal court on 10 March 2027. His defence counsel, Bernard Benaiem, stated that Leveaux formally disputes the allegations of domestic violence and physical aggression. The lawyer acknowledged that a domestic dispute involving verbal exchanges occurred on Monday evening in the presence of the infant, but insisted no physical harm was committed against either individual.
He acknowledges an argument, verbal exchanges, but no violence, neither towards his partner nor towards their five-month-old baby present at that moment.
Benaiem stated that Leveaux was shocked by the accusations concerning the infant, characterising the claims of mistreatment as unacceptable. The Paris prosecutor's office had not publicly responded to requests for comment by midday on Friday following the referral.
- Arrested in Paris following altercation with his wife
- Acquitted by court citing reciprocal violence
- Retires from swimming and launches Spantale platform
- Named in 100,000-euro cryptocurrency fraud complaint
- Placed in police custody over domestic violence accusations
- Scheduled to appear before the Paris criminal court
Earlier acquittal and cryptocurrency litigation
The upcoming trial follows earlier legal scrutiny involving Leveaux since concluding his athletic career. The swimmer, who won four Olympic medals including gold in the 4x100-metre freestyle relay at London 2012 before retiring in 2021, previously faced domestic violence charges in 2016. In that case, police arrested Leveaux after his then-wife accused him of slapping her and throwing her head against a wall. The criminal court acquitted him in March 2017 after judges determined the confrontation involved reciprocal violence between both parties.
In addition to the assault charges, Leveaux has been the subject of a fraud complaint filed in autumn 2025 concerning Spantale, a digital sports sponsorship platform he founded in 2021. The platform sought to finance French athletes through AEL cryptocurrency tokens. The complaint, drafted by lawyer Robin Binsard on behalf of the parents of a young equestrian rider, alleges the family transferred 100,000 euros to Leveaux in summer 2021 under a contract that guaranteed reimbursement if the token value dropped. The legal proceedings also emerge alongside separate criminal matters involving his 2012 relay teammate Yannick Agnel, who faces trial before the Haut-Rhin criminal court on charges of aggravated rape and sexual assault of a minor under 15 years old.
