FIFA has imposed a lifetime ban on former Gabonese youth coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi after he was found guilty of sexually abusing young players throughout his career. The decision follows a BBC Africa Eye investigation that exposed a widespread abuse network in Gabonese football.
Eyi, also known as “Capello,” held immense power over player selection for national youth teams, making it difficult for victims to speak out. Despite admitting to grooming and abusing minors, many believe his punishment is only the beginning, as more perpetrators remain within the system.
FIFA’s ethics committee found that at least four male players accused Eyi of abuse between 2006 and 2021, with most incidents occurring when they were minors. In addition to the ban, Eyi has been fined one million Swiss francs and remains in prison.
One of Eyi’s victims welcomed FIFA’s decision but stressed that a larger network of abusers still needs to be exposed and dismantled. Football authorities, including Gabon’s football federation (Fegafoot), have also been criticized for failing to protect young players, though they deny any wrongdoing.
The case has intensified calls for stronger safeguards in African football to prevent similar abuse scandals in the future.
