Gabonese Football Coach Banned by FIFA Amid Sexual Abuse Scandal

A former coach who held significant power in Gabonese football has been found guilty of abusing young athletes, leading to calls for systemic change within the sport.

In a landmark ruling, FIFA has imposed a life ban on former Gabonese youth national football coach, Patrick Assoumou Eyi, after he was found guilty of sexually abusing multiple young male players. As reported by the BBC, Eyi, widely known as Capello, had coached Gabon's youth teams for decades and was featured in a 2023 Africa Eye investigation that highlighted a troubling pattern of abuse in Gabonese football.

The findings indicated that Eyi exploited his influential position, where he effectively decided the futures of young players, creating an environment of fear and manipulation. The players' union, Fifpro, has voiced that despite FIFA's historic ban and a fine of one million Swiss francs ($1.1 million), the issue of sexual abuse in Gabonese football extends beyond a single perpetrator.

Fifpro emphasized the need for comprehensive actions to identify, prosecute, and prevent further abuse, asserting, "Football in Gabon will not be safe until every offender and enabler faces justice." Reports suggest that the investigation stemmed from allegations first highlighted by the UK's Guardian newspaper in 2021 and involved complaints from at least four players who were minors during the incidents.

One victim of Eyi, who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed cautious optimism following the ban but stressed the need to dismantle the broader network of abuse, stating, "It's a whole system that needs to be tackled—many predators are still out there."

Further investigations revealed a decades-long web of abuse affecting numerous levels within Gabonese football, with testimonies from over 30 individuals detailing a culture that allowed such actions to go unchecked. The victims have criticized both FIFA and Fegafoot, the Gabonese national football federation, for failing to safeguard them and enabling a toxic environment.

In light of these revelations, the call for accountability within Gabonese football continues, as both major governing bodies remain under scrutiny for their inaction.