The former Spanish youth basketball coach Mario López is being investigated for sexual abuse against a woman, who was a minor at the time of the events, as reported this Sunday by the newspaper ‘El País’. López continues to be responsible for the internal and sports management of the Lointek Gernika club and was in charge of the lower categories of women’s basketball for several seasons.
The Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) has condemned “without palliative” the alleged sexual abuse suffered by the woman, 18 years younger than López when the events occurred, at the end of the 90s, and assures that it has opened an investigation file. against the former coach.
“Given the information published today about alleged sexual abuse committed in the field of our sport, the FEB wants to express its strongest condemnation,” the organization said in a statement. “The commitment of the FEB is the complete eradication of this type of behavior, which it considers unacceptable and against which it has had a Protocol and a Protection Delegate since 2014.”
The federative body has also stressed that the FEB’s policies in this area “are very active and seek to increase surveillance mechanisms to try to ensure that no action of this type occurs in Spanish basketball.” According to what his lawyer told the newspaper ‘El País’, the accused claims to have “no official or written record of any complaint.” The lawyer adds that what the coach has transmitted “refers to a case of harassment and not sexual assault.”
‘El País’ published this Sunday the testimony of a woman who claims that she suffered continuous sexual abuse from the current head of sports management at Lointek Gernika, facts that have already been reported. The attacks began in the summer of 1998, when the victim was 13 years old and studying at the Allende Salazar school, where Mario López was her coach, and lasted three years. López, with whom he also met at Lointek Gernika, was 31 years old at the time.
As stated in the complaint, the young woman, now 38 years old, suffered “countless anal penetration and fellatios,” in addition to pressure and threats. The FEB assures that she only had “partial knowledge of this matter based on a complaint against the club received on October 29 of this same year.”
“This complaint alludes to the fact that, presumably, there is a judicial procedure underway for alleged sexual abuse. Despite not having any notification of any kind in this regard, the Federation immediately initiated an investigation file and notified the complainant, the accused (the club), the Autonomous Federation of the Basque Country, the Higher Sports Council and FIBA. ”, the organization has indicated.
The FEB affirms that while the investigation file on the facts is being corrected, the organization’s Advisory Committee on Sexual Violence has issued precautionary measures “that prevent the issuance of any type of license to those involved in the competitions organized by the FEB.” until there is a final court ruling.
In addition, the organization states that it has been communicated to FIBA so that “these precautionary measures are extended internationally.” “It should be noted that, currently, this person does not have a federative license issued by the FEB, nor does he have any other professional relationship with the Federation,” the statement concludes.
2023-12-17 12:16:38
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