SYDNEY: Australian Under-20 defender Sebastian Ryall has been stood down from national team duty by Football Federation Australia after being charged with a sexual offence, the FFA said on Friday.

Ryall, 19, who was due to leave on Saturday with the national Under-20 team for a camp in the Netherlands, has been charged with engaging in a sexual act with a 13-year-old girl last year. The FFA said Ryall had been suspended from playing in national team and club matches until September 3 this year or until his criminal case has been determined.

It said Ryall, who recently transferred from Melbourne Victory to Sydney FC, has pleaded not guilty to the charge and his lawyer has indicated his client intends to strenuously defend his innocence. Sydney FC said they had no knowledge of the incident when they signed Ryall last November and only became aware of the matter when informed by the FFA.

The FFA sanction follows this week’s storm over former Australian rugby league star-turned-commentator Matthew Johns, who was named as being involved in a 2002 group sex incident in New Zealand.