Waitress reports Belgian rider to police after he grazed genitals against her while posing for photo
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The picture taken of the waitress with Iljo Keisse and teammates(Image credit: Telesoldiario)
Iljo Keisse leads the bunch at the Gent Six day(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Iljo Keisse celebrates the final Madison sprint and overall victory at Gent Six(Image credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
A waitress in San Juan has filed a police complaint against Iljo Keisse after the Deceuninck-QuickStep rider feigned a sexual act behind her and 'intentionally grazed her with his genitals' while posing for a photograph with her and his teammates.
The waitress, who has not been named, had been serving Keisse and his teammates, who are in Argentina for the Vuelta a San Juan, at a café in the centre of San Juan when the incident happened. Speaking to the local media, she explained that she had spoken with the riders briefly before asking for a photo. While posing for the photo, Keisse put his hands behind his head while pushing his genitals up against the woman.
"I speak some English. They made an order. I did not know the Vuelta a San Juan was there and they explained what they were doing, that they were coming to compete. I asked for a photo and I felt they encouraged me. I thought it was an accident, but later I realised that it wasn’t an accident,” she told Telesoldiario.
After seeing the photograph, the woman decided to take the matter to a lawyer and then to the police. She expressed her anger at the situation and called on the organisers of the Vuelta a San Juan to sanction Keisse.
"I am very angry. They disrespected me; I was working, I asked for a photo and they disrespected me. I already spoke with my lawyers to see what we can do. My partner saw the situation and he is a witness,” she explained.
"They cannot come to another country and treat women as things, as something insignificant and worthless. This is Argentina and he cannot come to do what he wants. I hope that at least they sanction him or call his attention for doing what he did."
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Telesoldiario reported that Keisse will be required to appear before the Third Court of Misdemeanours. Tiempo de San Juan reported that the organisers will issue a punishment but did not say what it would be.
Cyclingnews contacted Deceuninck-QuickStep, who were unable to provide a comment at the time.
