Former world champion Óscar Freire detained over domestic abuse allegations

The complaint was lodged on Sunday afternoon at a Civil Guard station in Torrelavega. The couple, who have three children together, are currently in the process of divorcing and have not lived together since November 2025.

In her statement, the woman alleges a pattern of abusive behaviour, including assaults, threats, harassment and humiliation. She claims the relationship began to deteriorate in 2023, although she describes Freire as having been controlling throughout their marriage.

According to the report, she also accused him of ongoing surveillance, alleging that he installed microphones in her home and car, placed GPS trackers on her vehicle and accessed her WhatsApp account without consent. She described his control as “total,” claiming he always knew her whereabouts and activities.

The complaint outlines several alleged incidents in recent years, some said to have taken place in front of their children. In one incident in September 2025, Freire is accused of smashing her phone during an argument, after which she claims he grabbed her and pushed her against a door when she tried to call the police.

The most recent episode cited is said to have taken place on Sunday during a church service in Puente San Miguel, where he allegedly grabbed her arm as she tried to leave. She later reported the incident to authorities.

The 50-year-old Spaniard was arrested later and exercised his right not to testify. A fast track hearing was held on Monday in Torrelavega, where the woman gave her statement with legal counsel present. The case remains under investigation.

The three time world champion (1999, 2001, and 2004) had already made headlines last year. At the time, Óscar Freire was briefly reported missing after leaving his home voluntarily, before later being found safe and well. His brother, Antonio Freire, told Marca it was “a family matter” and that he had simply been away from home for a few days, while the Civil Guard confirmed that a complaint filed during that episode had not yet been withdrawn at the time of reporting.

Freire’s professional career spanned from 1998 to 2012. During that time, he rode for teams including Vitalicio Seguros, Mapei-Quick-Step, Rabobank, and Katusha Team, establishing himself as one of the most successful sprinters of his generation with 72 UCI wins.