Patrick Assoumou Eyi, a prominent figure in Gabonese football, has been banned for life by FIFA due to confirmed sexual abuse of young players, which has sparked calls for broader reforms and accountability in the sport.
FIFA Bans Gabonese Coach for Life Amidst Widespread Sexual Abuse Scandal
FIFA Bans Gabonese Coach for Life Amidst Widespread Sexual Abuse Scandal
Former youth coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi, implicated in a sexual abuse investigation, faces a life ban from FIFA after admitting to abusing young players.
The Gabonese football community is reeling following FIFA’s recent decision to impose a life ban on former youth coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi, known as "Capello," due to his involvement in a severe sexual abuse scandal that has long tarnished the sport in the nation. Following a thorough investigation, including allegations surfacing in a BBC Africa Eye report, Eyi has been found guilty of sexually abusing multiple minors throughout his lengthy coaching career.
The players' union, Fifpro, has called for significant changes to ensure the safety of young footballers in Gabon. They acknowledged FIFA's critical ruling but emphasized that true safety can only be achieved when all individuals involved in enabling such abuse are held accountable.
Eyi had held significant influence in Gabonese football, with one former player describing him as having the "position of a god," enabling him to decide youth team selections. Following the initial allegations reported by the Guardian in 2021, FIFA launched an investigation and subsequently revealed that Eyi had admitted to multiple charges, including grooming and abuse, dating back as far as 2006.
In addition to being banned for life, Eyi has been fined one million Swiss francs (approximately $1.1 million) and is currently incarcerated. Despite this pivotal ruling, many victims express dissatisfaction, fearing that without dismantling the pervasive network of abuse, justice remains incomplete.
In a testimony shared with BBC, one anonymous victim described their ambivalence, stating, "I'm pleased about the ban, but on the other hand, I don't want us to stop there." Reports indicate that over 30 individuals provided testimonies of a systemic culture of abuse within Gabonese football, with accounts of incidents occurring across various levels for decades.
The implications of the scandal extend beyond individual perpetrators and have raised critical questions about the complicity of governing bodies like FIFA and Gabon’s football federation, Fegafoot, both of which deny accusations of negligence in protecting young athletes. As these revelations gain international attention, the urgent call for reform within Gabonese football becomes more pronounced, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive measures against sexual abuse in sports.
