Police issue arrest warrant against Ugandan

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Sydney: A Ugandan athlete at the Sydney Olympics was missing on Saturday after a warrant was issued for his arrest following the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl.

The International Olympic Committee said they were working with Ugandan officials at the Games to persuade the athlete, who has disappeared from the Olympic village, to turn himself in to police.

"We hope he will surrender," IOC director general Francois Carrard said.A spokeswoman for Games organisers SOCOG said police had the suspect's passport and Olympic accreditation.

The athlete has not been named. Police on Friday said they were hunting a 23-year-old Olympic athlete from an undisclosed country in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl in a western suburb of Sydney early last Wednesday.

The Ugandan delegation at the Games said it would not comment on the case. "The matter is in the hands of the police," a spokeswoman at the team's quarters said by telephone.



(c) Reuters Limited.