Olympic champ denies teen rape claim
News On Japan via AFP -- Sep 12
Japan's retired double Olympic judo gold medallist Masato Uchishiba on Wednesday denied raping one of his teenage students in a hotel room, as his trial opened in Tokyo.
Uchishiba, 34, who won the 66kg title at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, maintains he had consensual sex with the girl, who was drunk after a training camp party in the Japanese capital last September.
Prosecutors say Uchishiba attacked the girl, a member of the college judo team he coached, in a hotel room after she fell asleep at a karaoke parlour, intoxicated.
"When she became aware, she resisted by saying, 'What are you doing? Stop.' But he turned up the volume of the television and covered her mouth with his hand," prosecutors said, according to NHK.
The alleged victim is not being identified publicly because of the nature of the claim and her exact age at the time has not been given.
Married Uchishiba accepts that sex took place, but denies it was forceful.
Source: AFP
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