By Onz Chery
Haitian women soccer players. Photo credit: Haiti-Tempo
The Haitian soccer federation’s president, Yves ‘Dadou’ Jean-Bart, was accused of sexually abusing young female players who live at the country’s national training center, Camp Nou’s Academy, in Croix-des-Bouquets, per The Guardian. He reportedly forced the young players to have sex with him by threatening to expel them out of the center.
The alleged victims remain anonymous and one of them had to get an abortion at 17. Another one said one of Jean-Bart’s friends tried to rape her.
Those allegations have led FIFA to suspend the 72-year-old for 90 days on May 25, 2020, while the case is under investigation.
Still, Jean-Bart’s support in Haiti remains strong. The current players at the center organized a protest on May 4 to exalt his innocence, many of these players view Jean-Bart as a father.
The Haitian Times spoke to two former players who consider him as a father as well: Zila Lafleur, 22, and Wisline Dolce, 33.
“Listen, even if they tell me Dadou is guilty, that doesn’t stop me from considering him as the person he was in my life,” said Dolce a former senior team captain. “He was like a father to me, the way he talked with us. He gave us a lot of advice. He always made sure his players went to school, that they had discipline. So, when I’m being asked about Dadou, the only way I can answer is that Dadou will always remain a father.”
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Onz Chery
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