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Former Commonwealth Games 200m champion Leon Baptiste has been jailed in Morocco after being convicted in a case involving the sexual assault of a minor, bringing an end to weeks of uncertainty over his whereabouts.
Baptiste, 41, had been working as a consultant sprint coach for UK Athletics and coaching a group of elite British athletes. He stopped communicating with them more than three months ago, leading to reports that he had gone missing in Morocco.
Moroccan authorities confirmed that Baptiste was arrested in Marrakech in May, convicted and imprisoned at Al-Oudaya prison. His initial 10-month sentence was later reduced to eight months on appeal.
The Moroccan Ministry of Justice said he had not actually disappeared or lost contact with his surroundings, while the UK Foreign Office confirmed that it is providing consular assistance.
Baptiste won gold in the 200m for England at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and later became a sprint coach, including being named England Athletics Coach of the Year in 2023.
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