Three coaches were indicted by the Gabonese police in mid-December.
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Fifa has opened an investigation following accusations of alleged sexual assault of hundreds of children by several soccer coaches in Gabon. The international body said Tuesday January 11 to AFP, confirming information from the British daily The Guardian, unveiled in mid-December.
“In view of the seriousness of the allegations, we can confirm that the independent ethics committee of Fifa has opened an investigation”
a spokesperson for the Gabonese federationAFP
Patrick Assoumou Eyi, former coach of the Gabonese national under-17 team, is accused of alleged sexual assault of hundreds of children. He was arrested by the Gabonese authorities on December 20 and indicted for “rapes of minors”.
Two other club coaches, Orphée Mickala and Triphel Mabicka, were also indicted for the same reasons. The three men face 30 years of criminal imprisonment.
Well known in Gabonese football circles under the sobriquet of “Capello”, Patrick Assoumou Eyi, whose name was made public by The Guardian, was the coach of the national under-17 team until 2017. He then became technical director of the football league in Estuaire, the province of the capital, Libreville.
Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba had raised a case “very serious and unacceptable”.
Football is not the only sport affected in recent weeks. Martin Avera, known in Gabon under the pseudonym “Maître Chacka”, taekwondo trainer, was arrested on December 29 by the Gabonese police for “pedophilia facts” presumed on “many victims”.