Charges withdrawn against Olympic champion

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NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- A woman who had alleged that a Kenyan Olympic track star stabbed her after she refused his advances has withdrawn the charges, officials say.

Ann Njeri Otieno asked the charges be dropped because the proceedings were interfering with her studies, the Daily Nation reported.

She made her request during the first court hearing on the charges against Ezekiel Kemboi, who won gold in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during the Summer Olympics in London.

"I want to continue with my studies and don't want to be affected by the proceedings of the case," Njeri told Principal Magistrate Francis Kyambia. "I have since forgiven Mr. Kemboi and would like to withdraw the case."

She denied Kemboi had bribed her to withdraw the charges.

Njeri had reported the athlete stabbed her on June 27 after a night of drinking. She said while they were watching a soccer game, he made sexual advances to her. When she rejected them, he stabbed her.

The incident, which happened just before the start of the Games, almost cost Kemboi his place on the Kenyan team.