Afghan authorities have imposed a travel ban on the head of Afghanistan's Football Federation (AFF) over the alleged physical and sexual abuse of former and current players on the women's national soccer team.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced on December 28 that AFF chief Keramuddin Karim and four other members of the federation had been barred from leaving the country.
The AGO launched an investigation and suspended the five men on December 5, days after Britain's Guardian newspaper issued a report in which former members of the women’s national team alleged abuse
On December 9, world football governing body FIFA temporarily suspended Karim from all soccer-related activities at national and international levels for 90 days.
AGO spokesman Jamshid Rasuli said on December 28 that in addition to Karim, travel bans had been imposed on Nader Alemi, head of the goalkeepers’ committee; Sayed Ali Reza Aqazada, secretary-general of the federation; Abdul Saboor Walizada, head of provincial relations; and Rustam, a federation employee who goes by only one name.
The AGO’s decision came a day after The Guardian published another report that detailed claims made by members of the women’s team against Karim ranging from serious sexual and physical assault to harassment and threats to themselves or family members.
