The global players’ union FIFPRO has welcomed FIFA’s decision to impose a life ban on former Gabonese under-17 coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi, who was found guilty of sexually abusing multiple young players over a 15-year period. However, FIFPRO insists that deeper reforms are needed within Gabonese football governance to prevent such abuses from happening again.
FIFA’s independent ethics committee ruled that Eyi had “abused his position and committed repeated acts of sexual abuse against multiple players” between 2006 and 2021. Alongside the lifetime ban, he was fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.13 million).
FIFPRO emphasized that while the ruling is a step towards justice, it took over three years of sustained pressure from civil society, media, and advocacy groups to hold Eyi accountable. The union warned that punishing an individual does not address the deeper structural failures that allowed the abuse to persist unchecked.
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“This case illustrates the systemic nature of this grave problem, where an individual may be sanctioned, but the same governance system that allowed it to occur in the first place remains,” FIFPRO stated.
Remy Ebanega, president of the Gabonese players’ union, reinforced this sentiment, stating that the abuse was widely known within Gabonese football circles. However, he accused those in power of deliberately ignoring the issue.
“Ignoring abuse is a clear breach of FIFA regulations, and we now expect a full review of the Gabonese FA’s suitability to govern football in Gabon,” Ebanega said.
Despite the severity of the case, Gabon’s football federation, Fegafoot, has yet to issue an official statement. FIFA’s ruling has not been acknowledged on its website or social media platforms, and Reuters’ requests for comment remain unanswered.
FIFPRO’s call for further action suggests that this case could be just the beginning of a broader push for accountability within Gabonese football. Advocates hope that Eyi’s ban will serve as a wake-up call, prompting reforms to ensure better safeguarding of young players in the future.
