FIFA bans Haitian football president for life
Published:Sunday | November 22, 2020 | 8:01 AM
ZURICH, Switzerland (CMC):
Haitian Football Federation president Yves Jean-Bart was banned from the sport for life yesterday, after accusations of systemic sexual abuse of female players.
The FIFA ethics committee found Jean-Bart guilty of “having abused his position and sexually harassed and abused various female players, including minors”.
He was also fined US$1.1 million (J$162 billion).
Jean-Bart has denied the allegations, which involve national team players. The accusations were first revealed by British newspaper The Guardian, in April.
The abuse is said to have happened at the country’s national training centre at Croix-des-Bouquets, which FIFA helped fund. It was known as ‘The Ranch’.
As the head of Haitian football since 2000, Jean-Bart “wielded huge power … and has high-level connections into the government, political and legal systems,” Human Rights Watch said.
Haitian state authorities have been urged by the advocacy group to investigate the allegations and protect the players, who also said they were intimidated and threatened.