Round-the-world yachtsman Kevin Escoffier has been banned for 18 months by the French Sailing Federation following a sexual assault inquiry, as RTL Today reports.

Escoffier, who skippered Team Holcim-PRB in the most recent edition of The Ocean Race, was quizzed earlier this month by officials from his sport’s national governing body over an alleged incident during the race stopover in Newport, Rhode Island in May.

The yachtsman — who made headlines in late 2020 when he was rescued in the South Indian Ocean during the Vendée Globe — denies the allegation and said through his lawyer that he will appeal the ban.

RTL Today has more on the story HERE.

County Kerry Round the World racer Damian Foxall says “more needs to be done” to ensure a safe environment for all in global sailing.

The comments from 11th Hour Ocean Racing’s sustainability manager come after the sudden departure of Team Holcim-PRB skipper Kevin Escoffier from The Ocean Race last weekend for what were cited as “personal reasons”.

It was later confirmed by The Ocean Race that “an incident” allegedly involving Escoffier took place during the race stopover in Newport last month.

In its statement on Tuesday (6 June), the race said: “Our immediate concern has been with the safeguarding of any person who may have been impacted and we have, in this case, been assured by Team Holcim-PRB that safeguarding measures within their team are in place for this. We respect the right to privacy and have offered, and continue to offer, our full support and access to any services that might be beneficial.

“No formal complaint or report has been received by The Ocean Race to date. This is primarily a matter to be dealt with by the team and the regulatory authorities for the sport of sailing. On Saturday (3 June), Kevin Escoffier stepped down as skipper of Team Holcim-PRB and will not rejoin the race.”

It added: “World Sailing has confirmed the French Sailing Federation (FFV) is the appropriate organisation to investigate and apply sanctions (if any) in relation to this incident.

“On Monday (5 June), we spoke with the FFV, who confirmed they are following their procedures to set up an investigation, including sending a report to the French Ministry of Sport. We support this initiative and are fully cooperating with the FFV.

“The Ocean Race is committed to a safe environment for everyone on and off the water and will continue its work to promote inclusion in the sport of sailing.”

As Inside the Games reports, FFV president Jean-Luc Denéchau told a French newspaper that he “made a number of phone calls which led me to believe that the alleged incident referred to by the skipper [in a since-redacted social media post] is in fact inappropriate behaviour he allegedly displayed towards a young woman at a party in Newport.”

Damian Foxall says “more needs to be done to ensure that major events and classes put in place charters to define” standards of conduct and safeguards for all involved in sailing

Speaking to sailing newsletter Tip & Shaft in his capacity of 11th Hour Racing Team’s sustainability manager and not as a rival of Team Holcim-PRB, Damian Foxall said that regardless of the outcome of this situation, it must lead to a global review of standards of conduct.

“A lot of work has been done on inclusion, diversity and gender equality in racing, but perhaps more needs to be done to ensure that major events and classes put in place charters to define the standards of work, the responsibilities of managers, but also the safeguards and warning mechanisms as necessary,” he said.

“These systems must be clear, accessible and well identified. The Ocean Race has its own but are they sufficiently known and accessible to everyone? I don't know. What is the IMOCA class doing on these subjects? You have to ask them.”

Kevin Escoffier, a previous winner of The Ocean Race, will enter his new generation IMOCA, Holcim-PRB, in the next edition beginning 15 January 2023 from Alicante, Spain.

Escoffier confirmed his entry as his rebranded IMOCA, in striking green and blue, was rolled out of the workshed in Lorient, France, and relaunched in a ceremony on Monday (22 August).

“I love racing, and The Ocean Race is an amazing race where you push 100% all the time,” skipper Escoffier said. “And you share this life with your crew. In 2014-15 it was my first race with Dongfeng Race Team and Charles Caudrelier as the skipper. In 2017-18 I was very lucky he called me back to join a winning campaign!

“Now I’m very happy to come back with my own project. It’s a short timeline. We will have to work hard. But we have a great team…

Kevin Escoffier launches his IMOCA, Holcim-PRB, in Lorient on Monday 22 August | Credit: Eloi Stichelbaut - polaRYSE/HOLCIM-PRB

“The decision to commit to The Ocean Race was only confirmed in July so it’s come just in time… We have some work ahead and it demands some effort on logistics and preparation but it’s all good news and a fantastic opportunity.

“We’re very happy with the boat, with the new branding and looking forward to getting sailing already at the end of this week,” added Escoffier, who was the subject of a dramatic rescue by fellow competitor Jean Le Cam during the Vendée Globe in the southern Indian Ocean in December 2020.

“We have a strong, all-purpose boat, very easy to handle and I think it will be a fast boat when single-handing and in fully-crewed configuration for The Ocean Race.”

Escoffier says the team will name the crew for the The Ocean Race in the coming weeks. In the meantime, he will be competing solo in the Défi Azimut in Lorient, France in September and the Route du Rhum transatlantic race in November.

Holcim-PRB joins Charlie Enright’s 11th Hour Racing Team, Boris Herrmann’s Team Malizia, Benjamin Dutreux and Robert Stanjek’s GUYOT environnement - Team Europe and Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm as confirmed entries in the IMOCA division for The Ocean Race 2022-23.

At around 0210hrs UTC at a location in the South Indian Ocean some 360 miles north of the remote Crozet archipelago, Kevin Escoffier (PRB) was successfully transferred from Jean Le Cam's IMOCA to the Nivôse, a French Navy frigate.

Escoffier was dramatically rescued last Monday by fellow Vendée Globe competitor Jean Le Cam after his IMOCA PRB broke in two when it nosedived into a big wave. The 35-year-old skipper from Saint-Malo had spent 11 and a half hours drifting in a liferaft before being picked up by 61-year-old five times Vendée Globe veteran Le Cam.

The evacuation of Escoffier - via a Nivôse rigid inflatable boat - went well, despite the big seas in the area.

Kevin Escoffier (PRB) (right) was successfully transferred from Jean Le Cam's IMOCA to the Nivôse, a French Navy frigate 

And so Jean Le Cam has resumed his race in solo mode. In a message to the Vendée Globe Race Direction, Frédéric Barbe the captain of the Nivôse, wrote: “Kevin is in great shape, he is going to enjoy a hot shower. We are heading for Reunion Island. It is the start of a beautiful day."

Nivôse is a Floréal-class frigate which has 84 sailors on board and its main missions are the surveillance of maritime areas under French sovereignty in the Indian Ocean (Reunion, Mayotte, the French Southern and Antarctic Territories) and the fight against illicit activities at sea. It is based in Port-des-Galets, on the west coast of Réunion island, Nivôse is 93.5 meters long, 14 meters wide and has a displacement of 2,600 tonnes.