FIFA bans Haiti women's soccer official in sexual abuse case
ZURICH (AP) â A soccer official in Haiti was banned for 10 years on Monday for her part in the systematic sexual abuse of womenâs national team players.
FIFA ethics judges ruled Nella Joseph, former supervisor of the Haiti Under-20 womenâs team, was guilty of âactively coercing and threatening (players) into engaging in sexual relationshipsâ with the then-president of the Haitian Football Association.
FIFA expelled the long-time former Haitian FA president, Yves Jean-Bart, from soccer for life last year.
A FIFA judgment in Jean-Bartâs case said he raped girls as young as 14 and took âhabitual mistressesâ among players starting in 2014.
Joseph âfailed to protect the physical and mental integrity of various female players who were under her authority and responsibilityâ at the national training center in Haiti, FIFA said in a statement.
She was also fined 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000).
FIFA said its ethics committee is working on other cases pending against Haitian soccer officials.
The allegations were first revealed in British newspaper The Guardian in April 2020.
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