Former Commonwealth Games 200m champion Leon Baptiste has been jailed in Morocco after a court convicted him in a case involving the sexual assault of a minor.
The 41-year-old British former sprinter was reported missing after travelling to Morocco, where he worked as a consultant sprint coach for UK Athletics.
However, Moroccan authorities have confirmed that Baptiste is in custody in Marrakech. He is serving a 10-month prison sentence at Al-Oudaya prison.
A source at Morocco’s Ministry of Justice told the BBC that authorities arrested Baptiste in May. The source also said he was in good health.
Morocco’s Public Prosecution Office confirmed his detention and imprisonment.
“The British national is currently being held at the local prison in Marrakech,” the office said. It added that he was serving his sentence after a court judgment in a criminal case.
Moroccan authorities did not provide further details about the case. They said limited information about court cases is common under the country’s judicial system.
Baptiste stopped contacting athletes
Baptiste stopped communicating with the athletes he coached more than three months ago.
In May, he reportedly sent the sprinters a short message. He told them he would be away from training “for a while.” He did not explain why.
His absence left the athletes and UK Athletics unable to confirm his whereabouts.
Baptiste had been coaching elite British sprinters ahead of this summer’s Commonwealth Games and European Championships.
He also won the England Athletics Coach of the Year award at the 2023 Sporting Equals Awards.
Reports last weekend described Baptiste as missing in Morocco. However, reports now indicate that he travelled to Marrakech with three other former British athletes.
The three athletes later returned to the United Kingdom.
UK government provides assistance
The UK Foreign Office has confirmed that it is providing consular assistance to Baptiste.
“We are supporting a British national who is detained in Morocco and are in contact with the authorities,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said.
Baptiste’s family are also understood to know about his imprisonment.
On Tuesday, he sent an email to the athletes he had been coaching. In the message, he resigned from his coaching role.
The email referred to health issues as the reason for his departure. It did not mention his conviction or imprisonment.
Baptiste won the 200m gold medal for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He also competed in the 100m and 200m events during his sprinting career.
After retiring from competition, he moved into coaching and continued to work with elite British athletes through his consultancy role with UK Athletics.
