Sexual abuse: the boss of world basketball accused of having closed his eyes in Mali
FIBA President Hamane Niang ahead of the 2019 Basketball World Cup.
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4 min
Hamane Niang, president of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), stepped back following the publication of a
New York Times
investigation
accusing him of ignoring sexual abuse in Malian basketball in during the 2000s, in particular.
Accusations that this former Minister of Sports of Mali denies.
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Hamane Niang, president of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba), stepped back, a few days before the Olympic tournaments in Tokyo. The former boss of the African Confederation (Fiba Africa, from 2014 to 2019) and former Minister of Sports of Mali (2007-2011) is accused
in an article in the
New York Times
of having turned a blind eye to facts of sexual abuse within Malian basketball when he was leading the federation.
The article published on June 14, 2021 affirms that
Hamane Niang
"
led the Malian federation at a time of systemic exploitation of female players
", citing testimonies gathered in particular by local activists. “
Niang, 69, is not accused of committing sexual abuse. But critics say he largely ignored the assault on women for a dozen years between 1999 and 2011, when he was first president of the Malian basketball federation and then the country's sports minister.
», Continues the
New York Times
.
The investigation led by Romain Molina and Jeré Longman goes even further: “
In interviews with The
Times
over the past few months, Malian players have described Niang as having failed to take action and, in some cases, having been there when things happened.
"
Three people suspended by Fiba
For its part, Fiba reacted
with a statement
: "
The authors of the article claim that the president of Fiba was or should have been aware of this sexual abuse within the Malian basketball federation, in particular during his tenure at the head of the federation from 1999 to 2007. The president of Fiba, who strongly denies these allegations, has decided to step down temporarily while the investigation is being carried out. He also offered his full collaboration.
"
The International Basketball Federation also informs that three people "
were suspended from all activities of Fiba for the duration of the investigations: coach Amadou Bamba, coach Oumar Sissoko and official Hario Maiga
". The first two, widely questioned by the American daily, led national teams from Mali, one of the best nations on the continent in the youth categories.
"
Fiba has zero tolerance for all forms of harassment and abuse and it wishes to express its most sincere compassion to all victims of such behavior
," the institution assures in its press release.
Fiba undertakes to ensure that any denunciation of such behavior is taken seriously and investigated properly.
“Those on the Malian basketball file are examined by
Richard McLaren
, a renowned lawyer in the world of sport.
The Canadian hopes to be able to give the results of his investigation shortly after the Tokyo Olympics.
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