Surf Cat

Israeli wind-surfer Katy Spychakov, who was considered likely medal in the 2020 Olympic Games, admitted to having a romantic relationship with her trainer, Pierre Loquet, 37. The news rocked the windsurfing national team.

Spychakov is 20 years old.

After the story broke in Israeli media this week, Loquet was fired.

Loquet, who is French, was invited to train the Israeli wind-surfing team ahead of the Tokyo 2020 games. It is currently unclear how the news will influence the team and Spychakov’s chances to compete.   

The affair came into public knowledge when a fellow windsurfer, who felt Spychakov  was being given favorable treatment by the team’s trainer due to their intimate relationship, reported it to the Israel Sailing Association (ISA).

The ISA fired the trainer and instructed all persons involved, including their families, not to speak with the media.

Spychakov herself ignored this instruction when she told the Hebrew daily Yediot Ahronoth that the relationship between herself and her trainer is genuine and “we are in love.” She also suggested that the public disclosure is due to sore feelings among teammates that were jealous of her windsurfing success.

“When people lose, they do desperate things,” she said.

Currently in France, she is expected to return to Israel on Friday, Israeli News 1 reported, and to request she be allowed to continue train with Loquet in the future.  

The ISA will lead an inquiry into the achievements Spychakov had in September during the RS:X Women’s Competition at Ready Steady Tokyo, in which she won the bronze. Israel was only able to send one athlete to that competition. It is now unclear if Spychakov won such a high place due to her abilities, or if perhaps her trainer tweaked the ranking to her favor to enable her to attend.

The national team is now in a challenging situation with only 10 months to go until Tokyo.