FIFA extends sexual-abuse inquiry in Haitian football

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP):

FIFA investigators extended their case yesterday against Haitian football officials suspected of systematic sexual abuse of young female players.

A fourth Haitian football federation official, assistant coach Yvette Félix, was suspended for 90 days, FIFA said in a statement. Formal proceedings have been opened against Félix by the FIFA ethics committee.

A final investigation report and files in the case against long-time federation President Yves Jean-Bart were also sent to FIFA.

Jean-Bart is suspected of sexually abusing women who played and trained with Haiti’s national teams. He has denied allegations that were published by British newspaper The Guardian in April.

FIFA had previously suspended Jean-Bart and two other officials under investigation, Nela Joseph, a girls’ supervisor at Haiti’s national training centre, and Wilner Etienne, the federation’s technical director.

Since the allegations were revealed, FIFA has pledged to work on safeguarding players in an agreement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.