The coach of Zambia's national soccer team, Milutin Sredojevic, was charged with sexual assault on Friday following an incident involving a waitress in the South African coastal city of Port Elizabeth, prosecutors said.
Sredojevic, who is in Port Elizabeth observing a junior international tournament involving the Zambia under-20 team, said the charges were an attempt to defame him.
"It is total nonsense intended to unsettle (the) Zambia team that has not conceded a goal in this tournament," he told Reuters.
"My legal representatives are dealing with this character assassination attempt."
South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed the 51-year-old had appeared in a magistrate's court after an incident on Monday.
NPA spokeswoman Anelisa Ngcakani said Sredojevic had not yet been asked to enter a plea. He is free on R10,000 bail and would appear back in court on Feb. 25.
Serbian national Sredojevic was formerly in charge of Uganda, which he led to the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2017, their first appearance at the continental showpiece competition in 39 years. He has also led clubs Orlando Pirates from South Africa and Zamalek of Egypt.
(Reporting by Nick Said; editing by Angus MacSwan and Philippa Fletcher)
