Former Edmonton gymnastics coach charged with sexual assaults in Quebec
Michel Arsenault arrested in Edmonton in connection with alleged assaults in 1980s, 1990s
Former gymnastics coach Michel Arsenault, arrested Wednesday at his Edmonton home, is facing charges for sexual assaults in Montreal in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Arsenault is charged with three counts of sexual assault and four counts of assault, against a total of six victims, according to the warrant issued for his arrest.
The document shows that the alleged offences occurred over several years.
The earliest charge is for assault, spanning from 1983 to 1987, and the most recent is for sexual assault, alleged to have occurred between 1991 and 1993.
La Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Quebec's provincial police body, confirmed that Arsenault, 56, had been arrested in Edmonton.
He is now in Montreal, and is due in court on May 24.
The former coach faced allegations of sexual assault last December, when former gymnasts shared stories of abuse with Radio-Canada Sports.
He was suspended from Gymnastics Canada, and the SQ launched an investigation.
At the time, Arsenault operated Edmonton gym Champions Gymnastics with his wife Valérie Oudin.
After the allegations surfaced, Champions Gymnastics announced that Arsenault would no longer be involved with the gym, and that ownership was passed to his wife and daughter.
Richard Crépin, chair of Gymnastics Canada, said Wednesday the healing process has started.
"People now are seeing that we are trying to regroup everybody together, we're trying to move in one direction, the provinces are with us, they're moving in the same direction as we are. So I think the healing process has started and hopefully, hopefully, it won't take too long for us to get back into shape," he said.