Moroccan boxer out of Rio after being arrested for sexual assault

Rio de Janeiro, Aug 7 (IANS) 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, reports Xinhua.

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.