Ivory Coast’s Ex-Footballer Arrested On Suspicion Of Rape

Former Ivory Coast international Abdoulaye Traoré was arrested by police on suspicion of rape following an alleged incident at his central Abidjan apartment, it was reported on Wednesday.

Ivorian police confirmed they had launched an investigation into the incident where Traore is alleged to have raped a 19-year-old woman.

According to French publication 100% Culture, the former Metz star has since been released after interventions from several unnamed personalities.

In a video widely relayed on social media networks the young woman accused Traore of sexually penetrating her without her consent on several occasions.

Traore retired from football in 1997, having scored 14 goals for Ivorian national team. He was part of the Elephants squad that won the 1992 African Cup of Nations, and top scored in the 1988 event.

The striker, who was also known as Ben Badi, won a host of Ivorian titles during two stints with ASEC Mimosas, while he also featured briefly for Sporting Braga.

In 2015, he was named as honorary ambassador of The SATUC Cup, a charitable global football competition for U16 orphans, refugees and disadvantaged children.

Last year, Traore was part of the 14 members of the FA former Ivorian footballer board that rejected the candidacy of Didier Drogba for the country’s FA presidency.