The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) says at least fifteen people are being investigated over alleged sexual abuse of female athletes belonging to women’s football team of Afghanistan.
AGO spokesman Jamshid Rasooli told reporters in Kabul on Sunday that the government takes the allegations seriously and investigations are underway from 15 people regarding the alleged abuse of the women’s football team members.
Rasooli further added that the former captain of women’s football team Khalida Popal should share information and evidence with the Attorney General’s Office regarding the allegations so that a fair decision could be taken in this regard.
He questioned the decision of Hummel company for withdrawing the sponsorship of Afghanistan Football Federation and asked the company to share any evidence they have in their possession regarding the abuse case.
Rasooli also urged the sponsors, media, and civil activists to assist the Attorney General’s Office with the ongoing investigations regarding the alleged abuse of female football players.
This comes as the former head of the women’s football department Khalida Popal, players Shabnam Mobarez and Mina Ahmadi and the head coach, Kelly Lindsey, have accused the Afghanistan Football Federation officials of sexually and physically abusing the players of the women’s football team.
Popal has told Guardian that the members of the women’s football team were sexually abused by two men who were accompanying the team during a trip to Jordan in February of this year.
She also added that her investigations revealed sexual, physical, and mental abuse of the female footballers by Afghanistan Football Federation officials.
