SYDNEY (AP) — Veteran winger Kurtley Beale was suspended by Rugby Australia on Friday after being charged with sexual assault from an incident in December.
The 34-year-old Beale has played 95 tests for Australia after making his Wallabies debut in 2009. He recently returned to Australia after a stint in French rugby.
“This step follows Mr. Beale’s arrest and subsequent charge with serious criminal offenses, and is in line with Rugby Australia’s Professional Player Code of Conduct,” Rugby Australia said in a statement.
New South Wales Police said it received a report that a 28-year-old woman was sexually assaulted at a” “licensed premise” in Bondi Beach in Sydney on Dec. 17. It said Beale was arrested on Friday afternoon.
Beale took part in a 44-man Wallabies training camp on the Gold Coast in Queensland last week. He recently returned to Australia after playing with Top 14 club Racing 92 and planned to play for New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby this season.
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