A former Olympic cyclist and two-time gold medalist was convicted Wednesday in a child sex abuse case, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
Gregor Braun, 67, was found guilty in German court of sexually abusing a child, soliciting the serious sexual abuse of a child and soliciting the production of abuse imagery in several cases, AP reported. Braun allegedly paid for a 35-year-old woman to bring her young daughter along to “sex dates” for years, from the time the girl was six years old. The woman, identified as Yvonne L., had allegedly made her daughter record footage of her or the two adults together that were explicit in nature on at least one occasion, and had also taken pictures of the young girl and sent them to Braun, according to the outlet. (RELATED: REPORT: Former MLB Superstar Trevor Bauer Goes Into Legal Battle Against Extremely Serious Allegations)
Image not from the story. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
The child reportedly filed a complaint with the police in 2021, three years after fleeing home. Braun was sentenced to 33 months in jail, and the girl’s mother to 45 months in jail, according to AP. While the girl’s mother made a partial confession and an apology to her daughter, Braun denied the allegations against him and has the option of choosing to appeal the verdict, the outlet reported, citing German news agency dpa.
Braun won gold in the 4,000-meter individual and team cycling events at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, according to the games’ official website. He also won several World Championships and various other track and road races throughout his career. Braun retired from professional cycling in the late 1980s.