The former president of Haiti’s football federation (FHF), Yves Jean-Bart, is set to appear in court to respond to sexual abuse allegations after campaigners won the right to appeal against a prosecution decision to drop the case.
A criminal case against the 75-year-old was dismissed in November 2020 but it is understood that an appeal led by five human rights organisations representing some of the alleged victims was heard last week by a judge in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. A judge ruled that magistrates in Croix-des-Bouquets, the district where the FHF’s national training centre is based and many of the incidents are alleged to have taken place, must now hear the appeal.
Jean-Bart – known as Dadou – was banned from football for life by Fifa’s ethics committee in November 2020 after he was accused of harassing and sexually abusing female footballers but had his ban overturned in February by the court of arbitration for sport, which decided that “none of the testimonies heard by CAS were sufficiently precise and convincing to establish guilt”. Fifa’s appeal against that verdict was rejected by the Swiss Federal Tribunal in late June.
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The provisional judgment of the judge in Haiti, seen by the Guardian, says Jean-Bart must appear in court in October to respond to claims that he sexually abused players at the national training centre, including minors.
A spokesperson for Jean-Bart said: “After previously prevailing in four separate cases in multiple courts around the world, president Jean-Bart looks forward to openly testifying so that the entire world can be reminded of his complete innocence of these baseless charges.”
The Réseau National de Défense des Droits Humains (RNDDH), the Solidarite Fanm Ayisyèn (Sofa) and Kay Fanm, women’s rights organisations in Haiti, were among those behind the appeal to have the investigation reopened.
“[We] welcome the preliminary judgment of July 10, 2023 of the Court of Appeal of Port-au-Prince ordering the personal appearance of Mr Yves Jean -Bart, known as Dadou, accused of acts of sexual abuse of minors,” they said in joint statement.
“We have asked the court to order a new investigation because the first one was handled very badly,” added Patrice Florivilus, a lawyer who is representing the human rights groups. “It is very important to have this new investigation if we are going to find out the truth. Dadou now has to respond to the allegations. For us it’s a great step because the case is now open.”
Jean-Bart informed Fifa of his intention to return as president of the FHF in February after he was cleared by Cas, although that was rejected by Fifa after it appointed a normalisation committee after his banning. His spokesperson confirmed that he is not planning to attend the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Haiti have qualified for the tournament for the first time and play England, China and Denmark in the group stages.
“It is regrettable that Fifa is blocking the reinstatement of the president, who was duly elected but falsely accused in a smear campaign by his opponents,” Jean-Bart’s spokesperson added. “With support from 20 Haitian football clubs, the president hopes to prevail in the court for arbitration of sport and regain his position. President Jean-Bart has always maintained his innocence, which has been validated time and again in respected courts of law.”
Fifa did not want to comment on Jean-Bart’s case.
