Top football club in turmoil as 12 players questioned for having underage sex with the same girl

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Berne police confirmed they had questioned the men along with nine others and carried out house searches.

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Denials: Thun president Kurt Weder

The police statement said the men were believed to have had multiple contact with the then 15-year-old girl since the start of this year.

The girl has since turned 16, the age of consent in Switzerland.

The police added that "in the large majority of cases" there was no evidence of the girl being forced to have sex against her will.

They added they were unable to provide any further details while FC Thun president Kurt Weder said: "The presumption of innocence applies to all of the footballers.

"If the allegations are proved, the actions will be severely punished."

The club have not indicated how many of the players, if any, are members of the first team.

A spokesman for the Swiss league said there was no indication as to whether the investigation would affect the team's ability to play its fixtures.

FC Thun stunned European football in 2005 by qualifying for the Champions League group stage with a budget of just over 5m Swiss francs (£2.2) where they played Arsenal - but they are now languishing in seventh place in Switzerland's eight-team top division.