By RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan
December 3, 2019
Former Afghan football official Mohammad Hanif Sediqi Rustam has been banned from the sport for five years and fined 10,000 Swiss francs after being found guilty by FIFA’s ethics committee of violations relating to the abuse of female players.
FIFA said Sediqi Rustam was a former assistant to former Afghanistan Football Federation president Keramuudin Karim who was banned for life in June and fined about $1 million following complaints lodged by several Afghan female players.
FIFA said that Sediqi Rustam “was aware of such abuse” and had the duty to report it and prevent it.
At least five Afghan players accused Karim of repeated sexual abuse in 2013-2018.
Afghan authorities in June issued an arrest warrant for Karim in connection with the allegations. Karim’s whereabouts weren’t immediately known.
With reporting by Reuters