For a year, accusations of sexual abuse within an Ivorian taekwondo federation have plunged the country’s second sport into crisis. Mariama Cissé, one of the alleged victims, gives her testimony.
3 mins
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Youenn Gourlay
Mariama Cissé almost stopped everything. This talented taekwondo player, bronze medalist at the 2022 African Championships, was sidelined from the Ivorian selection after refusing the advances of the national team coach. “ The refusals didn’t work in my favor, she testifies. I started to be sidelined, it stopped my momentum. I no longer counted on the national team, I was replaced “. The young woman explains that at that time she “did not no one at the Federation to resolve my problem. I understood that I would not have a place in the national team if I did not give in to this coach. I stopped taekwondo. I no longer went to training. »
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Mariama Cissé asked to apologize
This is how Mariama Cissé was replaced for the African Championships in November 2023 which took place in Abidjan. Except that her replacement is not fit to appear on the tatamis, so the place goes to her again. On one condition: that she apologizes to her trainer to start on a new basis. “ Something I refused because I didn’t do anything to him », insists Mariama Cissé, who explains finding herself in an environment “ toxic ”, with “ abuse », in an atmosphere where she is ignored.
He was sending me messages telling me he wanted me to be his girlfriend
The complete testimony of Mariama Cissé, Ivorian taekwondoist
The national vice-champion in the -57 kilo category decided to file a complaint for sexual harassment and abuse of power a month later. In the process, the federation reacted, dismissing the coach in question as well as the national technical director. A special investigative commission is then carried out and a confrontation even takes place between the coach and the athlete. And then, Mariama Cissé had no more news. “ I want the federation and the ministry to do more, because I don’t want other people to experience the same thingsupports the taekwondoist. Putting him aside doesn’t mean anything. This will continue if there is no sanction “.
A federation which is experiencing other scandals
Last September, a new complaint for sexual harassment was filed by the father of a 17-year-old athlete against the new coach of the national team. It took place after a team cohesion course among the juniors, gathered for the occasion in Bouaké, from September 5 to 8. During it, the coach allegedly offered intimate massages to several of the minor taekwondo players, who had come to prepare for the upcoming Junior World Championships. Since then, the federation has been in crisis and is slowly resuming its activities after its headquarters was closed, and training, competitions and grade changes postponed.
In the meantime, the president elected in 2022, Jean-Marc Yassé, dissolved the federation’s steering committee. But in October, several statutory members of the body convened an extraordinary general assembly to judge the governance of Jean-Marc Yassé, whom they dismissed. Ultimately, justice ruled in favor of the normally elected president. According to the authority, the coach sacked in December would have been indicted and the case referred to the Abidjan criminal court. A trial must therefore take place. Mariam Cissé has rebuilt herself at the Elle’volution academy in Abdijan. She continued to train in a club that welcomed her and now hopes to become African champion.