The case against Lorenzo Marín, the national coach of the Spanish Karate Federation, has entered a new phase after a Málaga court refused to grant him provisional release. Judges ruled that the risk of reoffending remained too high to justify bail.

Marín has been in custody since August, following allegations from at least four karate students who accuse him of sexual assault. Despite efforts by his defence team, the court concluded that releasing him on bail could endanger the ongoing investigation and potentially expose other victims to harm. As a result, the request for conditional release was formally rejected.

The complainants are now aged between 20 and 25. They trained under Marín for years and allege that he assaulted them when they were between seven and fifteen years old. According to their accounts, Marín used his position as a coach to build emotional dependence before abusing them. They say he arranged to share rooms with them during training camps and competitions, where the alleged assaults took place.

Marín is regarded as a prominent figure within the national coaching structure. Among the elite athletes he has worked with is Damián Quintero, a world kata champion and Olympic silver medallist.

Lorenzo Marin

The Goju-Ryu club in Torremolinos, where Marín coached for years, has been shut down by order of the mayor. Its social media pages were also taken offline following his detention.

In an interview with Rincón del Do in 2017, Marín said he began collaborating with the national federation in 2013 after being invited by its president, Antonio Moreno Marqueño, to assist in team selection and in preparing athletes for the World Championships in Guadalajara. From 2014 onwards, he served on the coaching staff for Spain’s cadet and junior teams.

It is not yet known whether any alleged abuse extended to athletes in the national team. What is clear is that giving a coach this level of access to young athletes should have prompted closer oversight.

Police investigations are continuing. Officers seized ten mobile phones, a computer, a tablet and several USB drives during a search of Marín’s home. Investigators believe the alleged offences may have taken place over an extended period.

The mayor of Marín’s hometown has publicly expressed support for the victims.

Photo from Rincon del Do