Former NRL player Hazem El Masri is set to face a Sydney court on domestic assault charges.

Police said the 39-year-old Bankstown man has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.

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“The charges relate to an incident at the man’s home at about 7.30pm on Monday involving his 25-year-old wife,” police said on Tuesday.

El Masri played more than 300 games for the Bulldogs during a distinguished rugby league career between 1996 and 2009.

El Masri is a devout Muslim and a former ambassador for White Ribbon Day, a national campaign to stop violence against women.

“White Ribbon is very disappointed to learn of the charges laid against former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs player and former White Ribbon Ambassador Hazem El Masri,”the organisation’s chief executive Libby Davies said.

El Masri split with first wife of 13 years, Arwa El Masri, last year and remarried recently.

He has been granted conditional bail and will face Bankstown Local Court on Thursday.

National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.