New scandal bursts: Pierre-Charles Boudot is about to return to the track-the accused rapist is now hero?
The world of French horse racing is once again shaken by an earthquake. Pierre-Charles Boudot, formerly considered one of the best jockeys of his generation, finds himself today in the heart of an unprecedented scandal. Accused of sexual assault in 2021, suspended, rejected, erased from official programs, the child lavishes tracks seems ready to make a shattering return to the racetracks. What shocks even more than its simple reappearance is the way in which certain industry players are trying to present it today as a hero, as if all this dark past had never existed.
For several years, Pierre-Charles Boudot reigned over French racetracks. Multiple golden whips, prestigious victories in Chantilly, Longchamp and even internationally, he represented the elite, the flagship of French know-how. But behind the golden record, the scandal broke out. A complaint for rape filed against him turned his career in a bottomless abyss. Radored, sidelined by France Galop, persona non grata in paddocks, Pierre-Charles has become the symbol of the brutal fall. So how can we explain that in 2025, stables are seriously planning to entrust him again from the leading frames?
Some supporters of Boudot advance the argument of the presumption of innocence. “He has never been condemned,” they claim, hoping to erase a back of hand the years of silence, stigma and media exile. But is this defense really admissible in a sport where the public image has as much as performance? For many racing enthusiasts, see the name of Boudot reappear in the lists of engaged jockeys is a direct insult to the victims, a slap towards those who fought to bring out the truth. Can we really accept that a man accused of such acts returns as if nothing had happened, on the pretext that he knows how to keep a whip better than anyone?
The discomfort is palpable. On social networks, the fracture is total. On the one hand, fans of pure performance, ready to close your eyes on everything that does not concern the time and victory. On the other, a new generation of followers who categorically refuse to see sporting success excuse unacceptable behaviors. This controversy, which has been exploding for several months, explodes today in broad daylight, with trendy hashtags on Twitter and inflamed debates in all French -speaking horse -drawn communities.
Pierre-Charles Boudot keeps silence. No official declaration, no interview. He is content to discreetly appear on the listings of potential jockeys for the next summer events. The simple fact that his name reappeared is experienced by many as a betrayal of the values of sport. Is forgiveness possible? Can we separate man from the athlete? The question divides, and divides violently.
One thing is certain: his announced return will not go unnoticed. Between blind supports, legitimate indignation and cold calculations of certain owners wishing to win at all costs, Pierre-Charles Boudot is preparing to become, in spite of himself or thanks to them, the most climate figure of French horse racing. Hero for some, nightmare for others, his name has not finished shaking the paddocks. This scandal is only in its infancy.
