In the middle of CHAN, CAF overtaken by a sex scandal

A media officer for CHAN taking place in Algeria is accused of sexual assault. The Beninese journalist was reportedly suspended by CAF.

Difficult period for the Confederation of African Football (CAF). After failing to reconcile Algeria and Morocco on the eve of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2022, now a case of sexual assault comes to splash the institution. According Sports News Africa, indeed, a complaint lodged against one of the members of CAF.

At the heart of the scandal, Sohounde Peperipé. On social networks, he presents himself as a sports journalist, former sports correspondent in Benin for RFI radio. But he is also responsible for the media for CAF. Indeed, we find the name of the Beninese on the list of members of the CAF delegation at the African Cup of Nations (CAN) in Cameroon. Several close sources indicate that he works for African football authorities as a freelancer.

According to Sport News Africa, a complaint was filed by a Moroccan employee of the service provider managing the deployment and use of video-refereeing (VAR) during CHAN. A supposed attack that would have taken place in the accused's hotel, when the young woman had come to collect accreditations as part of her mission. A complaint has reportedly been lodged with the Algerian police.

Since then, the situation of Sohounde Peperipé has been vague. The latter, according to The Guardian, would have returned to Benin and would have been sanctioned by CAF, with a 5-year suspension. But the CAF has not yet officially reacted and the journalist assures that this suspension has nothing to do with an alleged sexual assault. “In its decision, the CAF Disciplinary Jury never spoke of sexual abuse or sexual assault,” says Peperipé.