Former Ivory Coast international Aboulay游戏副本 Traore has been sentenced to three years in prison for rape, according to the Ivorian League for Women's Rights. The 52-year-old, nicknamed Ben Badi, was convicted by a court in Bouake for non-consensual sexual relations with a 21-year-old woman in March 2021. In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Traore to pay 15 million CFA francs ($26,700) in compensation to the victim and imposed a five-year ban on his presence in the central region of Ivory Coast. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, with the rights group describing it as a milestone in combating sexual and sexist violence in the country.
Traore, who played for ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan and had stints with FC Metz in France and Braga in Portugal, was part of the Ivory Coast squad that won the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations. He remains a well-known figure in Ivorian football despite retiring years ago. The case drew significant attention due to his status as a former national team player.
A three-year sentence for a convicted rapist who once lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy exposes the contradiction between national heroism and personal accountability. The court's decision, including financial restitution and a regional ban, signals a rare legal stand against powerful figures in sports. Since Traore is Ivorian and the case unfolded in Ivory Coast, it reflects a domestic reckoning rather than a broader continental shift. No Nigerian or African player is involved, leaving the story confined to Ivorian legal and sporting circles.
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