Vicente Leiva-Modahl, a 65-year-old Norwegian national and former Olympic coach, has been charged with multiple serious sex offenses, including raping and sexually assaulting a child. The charges, announced by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), allege that Modahl committed these offenses between 2012 and 2024. Modahl, who was married to British middle-distance runner Diane Modahl, is accused of two counts of raping a child, five counts of sexually assaulting a child, two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and two counts of assault by penetration of a child.
The CPS stated that Modahl’s alleged offenses also include two counts of raping an adult female, two counts of sexually assaulting an adult female, one count of causing an adult female to engage in sexual activity, two counts of assault by penetration of a female, and one count of controlling and coercive behavior. All charges relate to the same woman, according to the CPS. Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor James Bolton-Smith emphasized that the CPS has carefully reviewed the evidence and believes it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
Modahl is set to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court, where he will face these charges. His ex-wife, Diane Modahl, is a decorated British Olympian who won gold in the 800m at the 1990 Commonwealth Games and represented Britain at four Olympic Games. The couple reportedly separated in recent years.
