Namibian boxer accused of sex assault to fight in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO: A Namibian boxer arrested for alleged sexual assault at the Rio Olympics athletes village will fight as scheduled on Thursday, officials said.

Jonas Junias Jonas, 22, was detained on Sunday for allegedly sexually assaulting a female room cleaner, police say. It was the second sex assault case to rock the Games village.

International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said that Jonas, who carried the Namibian flag at the Olympics opening ceremony, has been released “pending further investigation”.

Boxing governing body the AIBA confirmed that he had weighed in on Thursday and was scheduled to fight later in the day.

In a separate, but similar incident at the athletes village, police arrested Moroccan boxer Hassan Saada, also 22, on suspicion of sexually assaulting two female cleaners.

Rio organising committee spokesman Mario Andrada said: “I understood that both boxers have been released this morning. That doesn’t mean that the legal process is over but I understood that they have been released and one of them (Jonas) is able to compete.” Saada is out of the Games after his fight on Saturday was ruled a walkover.