Hazem El-Masri has been charged over the alleged assault of his 25-year-old wife.
The former NRL player, who is an ambassador for anti-domestic violence charity White Ribbon, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.
The charges relate to an incident at his western Sydney home last night.
El-Masri is a devout Muslim. He split with wife of 13 years Arwa El-Masri, the mother of his three children, last year.
He remarried current wife, Douah El-Cherif, recently.
El-Masri will face Bankstown Local Court later this week. An AVO application has also been lodged with the court to protect El-Cherif.
As of this morning, El-Masri was still listed on White Ribbon’s website as an ambassador but Chief Executive Libby Davies has released a statement claiming he is not currently on board in that capacity.
“White Ribbon is very disappointed to learn of the charges laid against former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs player and former White Ribbon Ambassador Hasem El-Masri,” the statement read. “White Ribbon advises that Hasem El-Masri is not currently a White Ribbon Ambassador and as always, White Ribbon will provide no further comment on a case before the courts.”
Response from Libby Davies, Chief Executive of White Ribbon Australia:
