Footballers charged with under-age sex

Six current and three former players of a Swiss soccer club have been charged with having sex with an under-age girl.

The players are from Swiss Super League club FC Thun in the Bernese Alps.

Five other individuals, who are not footballers, also face charges.

Police from the Bern region arrested a dozen FC Thun players and others last week on suspicion of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Most of the suspects admitted they had sexual relations with the girl, the local magistrate’s office said.

None of the players were named.

FC Thun president Kurt Weder said he was shocked and dismayed by the arrests.

Apart from Grasshoppers and FC Basel, FC Thun is the only Swiss football team to reach the group stages of the Champions League and the smallest club ever to enter the tournament.