A court convicted former Ivory Coast international footballer Abdoulaye Traoré of rape and sentenced him to three years in prison for the assault of a young woman in 2021.
The Bouaké court delivered its verdict on April 22, 2026. The judges handed down a 36-month prison sentence to Traoré. In addition, the court ordered the 59-year-old former athlete to pay 15 million CFA francs (approximately $26,700) to the victim as compensation. The ruling also imposed a decade-long suspension of his civil rights and a five-year ban from entering the Bouaké region.
A judicial source confirmed the specifics of the crime. The court found the former striker guilty of having non-consensual sexual relations with a 21-year-old woman. The incident occurred in March 2021.
The legal proceedings began shortly after the assault. The judicial process took five years to reach a conclusion before the court announced the final sentence.
The Ivorian League for Women’s Rights reported the sentencing outcome. In an official statement, the league hailed the court’s decision as “a significant advance in the fight against impunity for sexual and sexist violence.”
Traoré, known by his nickname Ben Badi, achieved fame as a footballer in the late 20th century. He played for Ivory Coast’s national team, the Elephants, and helped the squad win the 1992 African Cup of Nations. He also played for several European clubs, including FC Metz in France and Portugal’s Braga.
