Egyptian Olympic wrestler Mohamed Elsayed, 26, was arrested in Paris on August 9, 2024, for allegedly sexually harassing a woman at a café. The incident occurred around 4:30 AM on the Austerlitz Quay, with Elsayed reportedly heavily intoxicated. According to French authorities, Elsayed is accused of inappropriately touching a woman’s buttocks without her consent.Elsayed, a bronze medalist from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in the 67 kg Greco-Roman wrestling category, had been eliminated from the Paris 2024 Olympics in the quarterfinals on August 7. He lost to Azerbaijani wrestler Haji Aliyev, who went on to win the bronze medal.The Egyptian Olympic Committee, led by President Yasser Idris, has launched an investigation into the incident. In a statement, the committee warned of severe consequences, including a potential lifetime ban from both local and international wrestling competitions, if the allegations are proven true. ‘We will apply the rules strictly to anyone responsible for this behavior,’ Idris stated.This incident adds to the controversies surrounding the Paris Olympics, which are set to conclude on August 11. Earlier in the games, an Australian hockey player was arrested for attempting to buy cocaine, and the father of Croatian judoka Barbara Matic was briefly detained for allegedly kissing a volunteer without consent, though those charges were later dropped.The Paris Prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the alleged sexual assault. Elsayed has reportedly denied the allegations, claiming he does not remember the incident due to his intoxication. The Egyptian Olympic Committee has expressed regret over the incident and promised full cooperation with French authorities.
Key points
- Egyptian wrestler Mohamed Elsayed arrested in Paris for alleged sexual harassment.
- Incident occurred early morning of August 9, with Elsayed reportedly intoxicated.
- Egyptian Olympic Committee investigating, warns of potential lifetime ban.
- Elsayed was eliminated from Paris Olympics on August 7, after winning bronze in Tokyo 2021.
Contradictions👾Some sources refer to the athlete as Mohamed Elsayed, while others use variations like Mohamed ‘Kisho’ Said or Mohamed Ibrahim ‘Kisho’, creating some confusion about the exact name.
👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported time of the incident, with some sources stating 4:30 AM and others reporting 5:00 AM.