Rio 2016: Bulgarian rower accused of hitting maid with broomstick
Georgi Bozhilov and colleague Kristian Vasilev compete in the men's double sculls final at the Rio Olympics on August 11. / AP-Yonhap
By Choi Ha-young
Rio de Janeiro’s police authority has accused Bulgarian rower Georgi Bozhilov of using violence against cleaners in the Olympic Village.
According to a maid in the village, Bozhilov, 27, demanded that cleaners who were in his room leave, hitting one with a broomstick. One female cleaner was choked, police said.
“A procedure has been opened to investigate injuries inflicted by an athlete of the Bulgarian delegation on several chambermaids working at the Olympic Village,” police said.
Rio Games organizers are “very concerned” about the incident, Reuters said.
But the Bulgarian, who returned home Wednesday, denied the claims. “Several maids were sitting in our room, it was obvious that they were not preparing to clean, and I told them to leave,” Bozhilov told Bulgarian Nova TV.
He said thieves had been loitering in the village and athletes’ belongings were disappearing.
The rower finished ninth in the men’s double sculls with teammate Kristian Vasilev.