A once-celebrated Ivorian former national football team striker, Aboulaye Traoré, popularly known as “Ben Badi,” has been sentenced to three years in prison after he was convicted of rape by a court in Bouaké, Cote D’ivoire.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, was confirmed by a women’s rights organisation in Côte d’Ivoire, which described the judgment as a “milestone in the fight against sexual violence and impunity” in the country. Alongside the custodial sentence, the court also ordered Traoré to pay 15 million CFA francs (approximately $26,700) as compensation to the victim.
He was further handed a five-year restriction barring him from entering the central region where the offence occurred. The former footballer was reportedly convicted of non-consensual sexual activity involving a 21-year-old woman in March 2021.
Traoré, once a household name in Ivorian football, rose to prominence after helping Côte d’Ivoire win the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations. He later became a fan favourite at Abidjan-based club ASEC Mimosas and also played professionally in Europe, including stints with French side FC Metz and Portuguese club Braga.
Despite his celebrated sporting legacy, the conviction now marks a dramatic fall from grace for the ex-international footballer.
