Gabon soccer coach named by BBC in sexual abuse report banned by Fifa

Extra should be executed to make Gabonese soccer safer, gamers’ union Fifpro has stated after a former youth coach convicted of sexually abusing gamers was handed a life ban by world soccer’s governing physique, Fifa.

On Tuesday Fifa dominated that Patrick Assoumou Eyi, who was head coach of Gabon’s nationwide youth groups for many years, had sexually abused a number of younger boys all through his profession.

Eyi had been named in a 2023 BBC Africa Eye investigation into the widespread abuse allegations plaguing Gabonese soccer.

Within the investigation, a former Gabonese worldwide stated Eyi held the “place of a god” as he had the ability to determine who would play for Gabon’s youth groups.

Eyi – recognized extensively as Capello – was “simply considered one of a number of people in Gabonese soccer who exploited their energy with impunity”, Fifpro stated in an announcement on Wednesday.

Though the union welcomed Fifa’s resolution to ban the previous coach from all football-related actions, it stated soccer within the central African nation wouldn’t be protected till “all perpetrators and people who enabled them are delivered to justice”.

Eyi had admitted costs of raping, grooming and exploiting younger gamers after allegations have been first reported by the UK’s Guardian newspaper in 2021.

Fifa’s unbiased ethics committee launched its investigation into Eyi later that yr.

In addition to being banned for all times, Eyi has been fined a million Swiss francs (£880,000; $1.1m). He’s presently being held in jail.

“The investigation into Mr Eyi considerations complaints from at the least 4 male soccer gamers who accused him of sexual abuse between 2006 and 2021. Most of those incidents occurred whereas the gamers have been minors,” Fifa’s assertion stated.

One in every of Eyi’s alleged victims, who needed to stay nameless, instructed the BBC on Wednesday he was happy concerning the ban.

“However then again, I am not glad as a result of I do not need us to cease there. It is an entire community, a system that must be dismantled, with many predators working free,” they stated.

In 2023, BBC Africa spoke to extra that 30 witnesses who instructed of a sexual abuse community that had troubled all ranges of Gabonese soccer for 3 a long time.

One sufferer stated he was abused as a youngster at an under-17 soccer camp. One other, who performed for Gabon’s nationwide crew for a number of years, stated he was assaulted from the age of 14.

Together with the perpetrators of the abuse, governing our bodies corresponding to Fifa and Gabon’s nationwide soccer federation, Fegafoot, have confronted accusations that they failed to guard younger victims.

Each our bodies denied the allegations made in opposition to them.