Gwangju, South Korea: Hungarian swimmer Tamas Kenderesi has apologised for “thoughtlessly touching” a nightclub dancer after being arrested on sexual harassment charges during the world championships.
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The 22-year-old Olympic bronze medallist has been banned from leaving the country while police investigate the incident at a bar in Gwangju, around 330 kilometres (200 miles) south of Seoul, at the weekend.
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Kenderesi has admitted making contact with his accuser but denies charges of sexual harassment.
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“After coming back from the toilets and heading towards the dance floor, I touched the backside of a Korean girl who was working as a dancer at the club,” the swimmer said in a statement.
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“I did not even stop behind her – I took only a single, perhaps thoughtless move, which seriously angered this girl who filed a complaint against me.
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“Realising the seriousness of the situation, I was absolutely cooperative throughout the entire process,” added Kenderesi, who finished last in the men’s 200 metres butterfly final last week.
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“I deeply regret what happened and I wish to beg for the Korean girl’s forgiveness. But I strongly deny that I’m guilty in any kind of sexual harassment.”
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Hungarian team officials and swimming’s governing body FINA confirmed that Kenderesi had been released from custody but would not be allowed to leave the country for the next 10 days.
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Kenderesi added that he had not been shown the video of the incident but insisted: “I honestly believe my words will be justified by the footage (and reveal) I did not commit any serious offence. However, I have to understand that I hurt certain moral norms, which are the foundations of the local values.”
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After the athlete’s arrest, FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told AFP: “For now he is free but he cannot travel out of Korea. We will see what the next step is.”
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Kenderesi’s arrest came a day after an indoor balcony at a Gwangju nightclub collapsed, killing two local people and injuring several athletes competing at the world championships.
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