Diane Modahl: Coach Vicente Modahl, husband of former Team GB Olympic athlete, charged with raping a child

Norwegian Vicente Modahl, whose full name is Jose Vicente Leiva-Modahl, has been charged with a number of sex offences over more than a decade.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the alleged offences - two counts of raping a child and five counts of sexually assaulting a child - took place between 2012 and 2024.

The 65-year-old is further accused of 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 an adult female and one count of controlling and coercive behaviour. He is also charged with two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of assault by penetration of a child, the CPS said. They all relate to the same person.

Deputy chief crown prosecutor James Bolton-Smith said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to prosecute Vicente Leiva-Modahl for a number of serious sex offences, including offences relating to child sexual abuse.

“Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings. We have worked closely with Greater Manchester Police as they carried out their investigation.”

Modahl will appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Who is Diane Modahl?

Vicente Modahl is the husband of former Commonwealth Games 800m champion Diane Modahl.

Diane Modahl, 59, represented Great Britain at four Olympic Games - from 1988 to 2000, reaching the 800m, her favoured event, at her first games. She also won a gold medal in the 800m at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, silver at the 1986 Commonwealth Games, and bronze at the 1998 Games.

Her career best 800m time was 1:58.65 in 1990, making her 14th on the UK all-time list as of May 2025. The Mancunian was made an MBE in 2018 for services to sport and young people in the north west of England, and set up the Diane Modahl Sports Foundation to give children from disadvantaged areas of the north west, particularly Manchester, the skills to make the most of themselves within sport, education and employability.

Modahl was banned after testing positive for drugs before the 1994 Commonwealth Games and was banned for four years by the British Athletics Federation. However, the ban was lifted the following year and she was cleared of drug taking.

She is now listed on social media under her maiden name, Diane Edwards.