Former Ivory Coast international Aboulaye Traore has received a three-year prison sentence after a court convicted him of rape, according to an Ivorian women’s rights organisation.
The striker, popularly known as Ben Badi and a member of the squad that won the 1992 African Cup of Nations, remains a well-known figure in the country.
The Ivorian League for Women’s Rights said a court in Bouaké delivered the judgement on Wednesday, describing it as a significant step in tackling sexual and gender-based violence.
In addition to the jail term, the court ordered Traore to pay 15 million CFA francs in compensation to the victim and barred him from entering the central region for five years.
A judicial source confirmed that the court found him guilty of engaging in non-consensual sexual activity with a 21-year-old woman in March 2021.
Before retiring, Traore gained prominence with ASEC Mimosas and also played in Europe for clubs including FC Metz and SC Braga.