Former Ivory Coast international Abdoulaye Traore sentenced to three years for rape

A court in Bouaké, Ivory Coast, has sentenced former international footballer Abdoulaye Traoré to three years in prison after finding him guilty of rape, according to an Ivorian women’s rights organisation and a judicial source.

Traoré, widely known by his nickname “Ben Badi,” was convicted over non-consensual sexual relations with a woman in March 2021, when she was 21 years old, the judicial source said.

The Ivorian League for Women’s Rights said in a statement that the Bouaké court delivered its ruling on Wednesday, describing it as a “significant advance in the fight against impunity for sexual and sexist violence.” The organisation also confirmed that the court ordered Traoré to pay 15 million CFA francs (approximately $26,700) in compensation to the victim.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a five-year ban restricting the former striker’s presence in parts of central Ivory Coast, according to the rights group.

Traoré remains a well-known figure in Ivorian football history. He was part of the Ivory Coast squad that won the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations and enjoyed a successful club career with Abidjan giants ASEC Mimosas. He also played abroad, including spells with FC Metz in France and Braga in Portugal.

The case has drawn significant public attention in Ivory Coast, where Traoré remains a cult sporting figure despite the serious criminal conviction.