Mali: the coach of the national junior women's basketball team on deposit
In Mali, the coach of the national junior women's basketball team is on deposit.
AFP / Archives / Archives
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
A source from the prosecutor's office in a Bamako court, informed this Monday July 26, 2021, our colleagues from AFP, of the arrest and indictment of Amadou Bamba for "
pedophilia, attempted rape and modesty
”.
The arrest comes a month after the publication of an investigation by the
New York Times
and Human Rights Watch, which revealed a system of sexual abuse within the Malian Basketball Federation.
Publicity
Read more
Amadou Bamba, 51, is suspected of having traded playtime or equipment in exchange for sexual favors.
According to the
New York Times
and Human Rights Watch
investigation
, at least three players have testified to having been sexually assaulted or harassed.
Those who refused to have relations with the coach, at the head of the U18 team since 2016, have seen their careers sabotaged.
On social networks, basketball player Kadiatou Kanouté, president of the Athletes' Commission of the Malian Olympic Committee, expressed "her compassion" for the victims.
"
I hope that this investigation will help to get rid of this plague which plagues our land,
" she added.
Because it is a whole system which was brought to light by this investigation.
The
New York Times
estimates that there have been more than a hundred victims in the basketball world since the early 2000s. According to testimonies collected, the Malian Basketball Federation was aware of these abuses.
On June 28, the Malian justice opened an investigation, which targets, among others, Harouna Maïga;
its president.
An investigation was also launched by Fiba, the International Basketball Federation.
Its president, the Malian, Hamane Niang, former president of the Malian federation, accused of having turned a blind eye, has temporarily withdrawn from his functions.
The conclusions of the Fiba investigation are expected after the Tokyo Olympics.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Mali
Basketball