(Reuters) – Players’ union FIFPRO called for a review of governance in Gabonese soccer after welcoming on Wednesday a life ban handed by world body FIFA to a former youth coach found guilty of the sexual abuse of players.
The banned former under-17 coach, Patrick Assoumou Eyi, was also fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.13 million).
FIFA’s independent ethics committee found Eyi guilty of “abusing his position and committing repeated acts of sexual abuse against multiple players” between 2006 and 2021.
FIFPRO said the ban was the result of “over three years of sustained pressure from civil society, FIFPRO and the media to ensure accountability” but there was more to be done.
“This case illustrates the systemic nature of this grave problem, where an individual may be sanctioned, but the same governance system that allowed it to occur in the first place remains,” it said.
Remy Ebanega, president of the Gabonese player union, said in the statement that the abuse had been widely known about within Gabonese football but “many of those in power chose to turn a blind eye”.
“Ignoring abuse is a clear breach of FIFA regulations, and we now expect a full review of the Gabonese FA’s suitability to govern football in Gabon,” he said.
Reuters has sought a comment from the Gabonese soccer body Fegafoot. There was no mention of FIFA’s action on their Facebook page or website.
($1 = 0.8879 Swiss francs)
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Radnedge)
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