African football head criticised for visiting Gabon FA president in jail

Alleged victims and Fifpro have criticised the head of African football’s governing body for publicly supporting the president of Gabon’s football federation, who has been accused of covering up widespread sexual abuse.

Pierre-Alain Mounguengui could face up to three years in prison if found guilty of not reporting to Gabon’s authorities alleged sexual abuse in the country by a number of coaches after allegations first made in the Guardian. He is awaiting trial after being indicted and placed under a committal order in May. There is no suggestion Mounguengui – who was re-elected as Fegafoot’s president for a third term on 16 April – has been accused of sexual abuse himself. He has not commented on the charges.

Patrice Motsepe, the South African mining billionaire businessman who became president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) last year, visited Mounguengui in the Gros Bouquet Central prison in Libreville during an official trip to Gabon this month. He presented Mounguengui with a pennant that read: “President Dr Patrice Motsepe to Mr Pierre Alain Mounguengui President Gabonese Football Federation. With our compliments.”

Motsepe and Caf’s general secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba, had earlier met Gabon’s president, Ali Bongo, and minister of sports, Franck Nguema, where it is understood that Mounguengui’s case was top of the agenda.

Motsepe, in a statement released by CAF, said that they “spent time discussing a number of problems and challenges facing football in Gabon and Africa. The challenges in Gabonese football should be resolved in accordance with the Gabonese legal system and the Caf and Fifa articles and regulations”.

According to one alleged victim who did not want to be named, Caf’s show of support