Fiona Ferro spoke out about the accusations of sexual assault and rape against her former coach Pierre Bouteyre.
Only a couple of days ago, the news of Ferro's ex-coach, Pierre Bouteyre, who is now 50 years old, sexually assaulting the player when she was still a minor rocked the tennis world.
Bouteyre was Ferro's coach when she was still a teenager, traveling with her between 2012 and 2015 when the player was between 15 and 18 years old. It was during that period that the sexual assaults occurred.
Ferro has now spoken out about the accusations, confirming that she did not consent to her coach. She also thanked those who showed her support in these difficult times and expressed her trust in France's justice system.
"I take note of Pierre Bouteyre’s position on my accusation of acts of rape and sexual assault by a person in authority. I confirm that I did not consent and that the rapes and sexual assaults were committed by moral constraint according to article 222-24 of the Penal Code."
"I place all my trust in the justice system of my country and confirm that I do not want to make any other declaration on the criminal investigation procedure. Thank you very much to all those who show me their support in this difficult but necessary step."
Ferro wasn't the only one to release her comments about the case. The WTA quickly released a statement, fully supporting the player and applauding her for "having the courage to come forward with these allegations."
"We are pleased to see a full investigation and legal process being pursued. The WTA is dedicated to ensuring a safe environment across our tour. Safeguarding requires vigilance, and we are continuing to invest in education, training and resources to improve our efforts."