Thailand’s first Olympic champion accused of sexually assaulting teen–police

Somluck Kamsing (L) of Thailand unleashes a hard right against Benoit Gaudet (R) of Canada during their Olympic Games preliminary Featherweight (57 kg) match at the Peristeri Boxing Hall 16 August 2004 in Athens. Gaudet won on a 32-17 points decision. AFP PHOTO / JOE KLAMAR

Thailand’s first Olympic gold medal winner has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, police said Monday, an allegation he denies.

The 17-year-old filed a complaint late Sunday against Somluck Kamsing, who became a national hero when he won featherweight boxing gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

“He was accused of molesting the girl,” police colonel Yosawat Kaewsuebthanyanij told AFP.

Police confirmed local media reports that Somluck, 50, met the teenager on Saturday evening at a bar in Khon Kaen, a city in the kingdom’s northeast, where they stayed until 3:00 am local time before going to a hotel where the girl said the former Olympic champion assaulted her.

Yosawat said officers would question the teenager along with a child protection team before gathering evidence and issuing a summons to Somluck to answer the allegation.

Somluck told local media he denies the allegation, saying that he stopped making advances in the hotel room as soon as the teenager told him she was only 17.

The age of sexual consent in Thailand is 18.