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Egyptian wrestler arrested for sexual assault in Paris

An Egyptian wrestler has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault during the Paris Olympics. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

An Egyptian Olympic wrestler has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault at a Paris cafe, French police say.

The wrestler was arrested early Friday outside a cafe for allegedly touching the buttocks of another customer at the cafe, the Paris prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Police did not release the wrestler's name but the Egyptian delegation confirmed the wrestler's identity as Mohamed Elsayed, who won bronze in the Tokyo Games three years ago but lost in Paris in early stages.

Egypt's Olympic Committee said Elsayed would face a disciplinary hearing.

If the allegations were proven, he could face sanctions that could go as far as life exclusion from competition, the committee said in a statement.

Elsayed had been given permission to watch the final wrestling match for his weight category but then failed to return to the mission headquarters and had turned off his phone, the statement said.

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