Ex-Ivory Coast Footballer Traore Sentenced for Rape

Aboulay Traore, a former footballer from Ivory Coast, has been sentenced to three years in prison for rape. The Bouaké court delivered the sentence on Wednesday, marking a significant advancement in the fight against sexual violence and impunity in the country.

Traore was found guilty of having 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, approximately $26,700, to the victim.

Furthermore, he has been banned from appearing in the central region for five years. Traore, nicknamed "Ben Badi," was a notable figure in West African football, having won the 1992 African Cup of Nations and played for several clubs, including ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan, FC Metz in France, and Braga in Portugal.

His conviction has been hailed by the Ivorian League of Women’s Rights as a significant step forward in addressing sexual and sexist violence.