Off the wire
• Brazilian government happy that Rio Olympics "have begun very well"  • Rio equestrian venue hit by bullet  • Rio organizers say transport system passes test  • Music troupe perform near Gaza borders with Israel  • Zambian gov't dismisses opposition leader's complaint letter  • New Peruvian President has approval rating of 70.4 percent  • Urgent: Britain's Peaty breaks 100m breaststroke world record in Rio Olympics  • China lose five-set thriller to Netherlands in Olympic women' s volleyball opener  • Peace talks between Yemen's warring parties end in Kuwait  • 3 killed, 7 injured after fire engulfs homes in Canada  
You are here: 　 Home

Moroccan boxer out of Rio Olympics after being arrested for sexual assault

Xinhua, August 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Moroccan boxer Hassan Saada will not compete in the Olympic Games, after a Brazilian court refused his request for temporary freedom on Saturday, following his arrest for allegedly assaulting two chambermaids in the Olympic Village.

In a statement, the Brazilian justice ministry said that Saada, 22, had seen his petition for freedom denied, even though he was due to face Turkey's Nadir Mehmet Unal in a middleweight boxing bout on Saturday. Saada will therefore forfeit the tournament.

The boxer is currently being held in prison in Rio de Janeiro after the two maids went to the police and accused him of sexual assault.

In a statement on Friday, the police said the Moroccan had called the two women to his room under pretext of having a request. When they arrived to his room, they said he attacked and touched them sexually. They added that other athletes were in the room and did nothing to stop him. Endit