In mid-August, the Malian national under-19 team reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Basketball World Cup which was played in Hungary. An impressive performance, especially when we know that this team was rocked by a scandal of sexual abuse of minors revealed a few months ago. An investigation that is dragging on for the moment.
Amadou Bamba in the eye of the storm
The investigation opened following the revelations of Human Rights Watch on June 10 had made it possible to put Amadou Bamba, the coach accused of acts of sexual abuse of minors, under arrest. Since then, families have been waiting for other officials who covered up the crimes to be arrested as well, but the investigations by the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) seem to be faltering, and the whistleblower may no longer practice his sport.
“You’re running away from me, I’m going to remove you from my selection“. These were the coach’s first threats to his victim. Frightened and in tears, her relatives had to console her and assure her that her coach had no right to put her aside. The harassment and the advances the coach continued anyway, until the scandal was made public.
That’s what the girl’s father told DW. He asked to remain anonymous.
Deprived of the World Cup for denouncing her coach
The girl finally paid for her refusal to give in to her coach, who decided not to select her for the Under-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup. For his family and the associations that deal with the sexual abuse scandal, the victim pays above all for having denounced his trainer.
Officially, the girl was dismissed by her federation due to an injury. The father of the young player confirmed to the DW that his daughter was not injured, and that a second opinion would have it. well proven.
Another detail of the case: coach Amadou Bamba, who was arrested, is defended by a lawyer named Jean Claude Sidibé, who is none other than the former president of the Malian basketball federation and former Minister of Sports. A person who is therefore also part of the case, since the revelations of Human Rights Watch show that these abuses have existed with the full knowledge of the Malian basketball federation for nearly twenty years. For Romain Molina, French author who participated in the original survey of New York Times and Human Rights Watch, FIBA covered the case and did not prevent the girl’s suspension from the national team.
The vagueness of the protection of young girls
For now, three Malian coaches and officials have been suspended. Hamane Niang, the president of FIBA, as well as Harouna Maiga, the president of the Malian basketball federation, were suspended, but keep their posts despite Human Rights Watch’s request to exclude them permanently from Malian basketball bodies.
The results of the investigation were to be communicated after the Olympics and the basketball world cup which ended on August 15. So far, there have been no results or convictions.
Indeed, according to Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch, there is no possibility that FIBA leaders were not aware of the abuses. “The president of the federation and all the leaders knew what was going on but would have covered the aggressor“, she assures.
A source close to the case and to the families, Papsone Camara, himself a former Malian basketball player, confirmed to the DW “have transmitted all the evidence (photos and SMS in support) in his possession which incriminate the coach to the FIBA investigators“.
Hamane Niang, President of FIBA
No concrete threat … yet
World basketball’s governing body entrusted the field investigations to a law firm headed by Richard McLaren, which in turn hired the Terre des Hommes association (an independent Swiss association) in Mali, which practices in protection of the lives of children and young people, especially those most at risk.
However, these young girls were questioned by the police on the events without the presence of their families or their lawyers.
FIBA, which the DW tried to contact, declined to answer our questions and sent us its press releases of June 14 and 24, in which the organization claims to investigate accusations of child abuse. sports.
As for the Terre des Hommes association, it told the DW that it was doing what was necessary to protect the girls and provide them with the necessary psychological support.
Nevertheless, Sidi Mohamed Bah, the coordinator of the child protection program at Terre des hommes wanted to clarify the task of the association in the protection of young girls. “Being a non-governmental organization, physical protection is not really part of our mandate. The State must ensure the safety of all Malian citizens and we work in close collaboration with these authorities.“. He also assured that the association has not received for the moment any concrete threat that could weigh on the families.
The father of the young girl who had raised the alert told the DW to receive intimidation from some people accusing him of destroying the Malian basketball federation. He is not, however, afraid for his personal safety, but worries about his daughter.
“I told my daughter not to go to train anymore since the training place is the hometown of the accused trainer“, he clarified.
An urgent need for better protection of sportswomen
These abuses in the national team are not, however, isolated. Malian club basketball would have the same problems. Everyone would know about it, but no one is reporting these abuses.
Former Malian basketball player Papsone Camara told DW that a Malian league club coach allegedly abused a 16-year-old girl, got her pregnant and refused to admit the facts. The authorities still have not intervened.
According to Minky Worden, it will be necessary to better protect young athletes in the future. “So we have to make sure that before this team goes to an international competition again, that these girls are protected, have compensation and that there are apologies from FIBA and the Malian basketball federation for putting a sexual assailant at the head of the selection“, she adds.
Mali is a country plagued by political conflicts. Yet its women’s basketball teams have achieved excellent continental and world results in recent years. In Hungary, Mali has also become the first African nation to qualify for a semi-final of the Under-19 Women’s World Cup.
Basketball remains for these young girls a way out of poverty, to realize their dreams of playing abroad and to be able to take care of their families financially.
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