Former Colombian football referee Oscar Julian Ruiz has been accused of sexually assaulting a former colleague and long-time friend.

German Mauricio Sanchez, a fellow referee, says while sleeping at Ruiz's house in December 2010 he awoke to find Ruiz "with his hand in my clothes, touching my genitals. I reacted by removing his hand and [Ruiz] left".

According to Sanchez, he and a workmate were visiting Villavicencio, Meta on work-related business. Ruiz, an old friend of Sanchez, had invited the two to stay at his house.

Sanchez says he first tried to resolve the situation with the Colombian Soccer Federation, but no authority figure, including president Luis Bedoya would listen to him. Sanchez was later dismissed from his position as referee.

"I'm not against people's sexual orientation, that's respectable. What is not correct is using one's power to satisfy private desires", said Sanchez.

The Prosecutor General is currently carrying out its preliminary investigation of the case, according to Colombia Reports.