Nearly six years after a participant in the 2019 No Finish Line charity race was swept from the Fontvieille seawall during violent weather, three defendants — including former Minister of State Serge Telle — will appear before the Monaco Criminal Court this Tuesday, November 18, to answer charges of involuntary injury, Monaco-Matin reports. All three contest any responsibility in the incident.
The timing is awkward for the beloved charity event. As thousands take part in this year’s edition around the Fontvieille big top, judges are preparing to revisit the circumstances of the November 23, 2019 accident that briefly overshadowed one of Monaco’s most popular fundraisers.
At around 14:30 that afternoon, the Principality was being battered by severe conditions, with the Alpes-Maritimes under an orange alert for heavy rain, flooding, and submersion. Despite the warning, runners continued along the full course. As a large wave crashed over the Fontvieille seawall, a 40-year-old French resident of Monaco was struck, lifted off her feet, and thrown over the railing onto a car parked roughly three metres below. Her injuries were initially life-threatening, though her condition later stabilised.
After a lengthy judicial inquiry, three individuals and one organisation have been sent to trial. Serge Telle is accused of authorising the reopening of the circuit during worsening conditions. Philippe Verdier, founder of No Finish Line, faces scrutiny for his involvement in the event’s operational decisions. The association Children&Future, which organises the race, is also charged in its capacity as a legal entity.
Each defendant maintains they acted appropriately and denies any culpability in the accident. The trial is expected to examine years of documentation, testimony, and procedural decisions in an attempt to determine whether the incident was a tragic consequence of extreme weather — or a preventable failure of judgement.
