FIFA demand details after St Kitts and Nevis appoints rape accused as Football Coach

The Guardian reported that Fifa would demand more information about the appointment of a coach blamed of sexually abusing and harassing female players in Barbados.

The review is called after it was reported that the president of the Barbados Football Association gave him "positive recommendations" to take over as director of football in St Kitts and Nevis.

In September, Atiba Harris, the president of the SKNFA, named Ahmed Mohamed, a former Somalia defender who has worked with Barbados and the British Virgin Islands.

Mohamed was picked after Harris "spoke out personally" to BFA president Randy Harris, who is also the president of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and a vice-president of Concacaf.

Mohamed stood down as technical director of the BFA last year for "family reasons," according to Harris.

Mohamed left Barbados in February 2021, after 27 players from the senior women's team signed a letter demanding the BFA to examine allegations made by one of their colleagues at the start of that month.

She said the coach raped her at a hotel when she was 18 and that she had previously received a series of unwanted text messages from him, according to reports. After attempting to report her allegations to the police, the player claimed she was threatened by top members of the BFA. Another athlete said that Mohamed sexually molested her for three years, beginning when she was 13 years old.

After no quick action was taken, numerous players began an online petition in February demanding a "thorough investigation be carried out promptly.

After no quick action was taken, numerous players began an online petition in February demanding a "thorough investigation be carried out promptly. "We didn't put his name because we were terrified," one player added, declining to be identified. "It's difficult to claim that kind of thing in our country, especially in athletics."

Mohamed resigned three weeks later, but the BFA withheld his identity after Randy Harris stated that he had been "legally advised not to." Harris, who was re-elected president of the CFU without opposition last year, would to clarify whether Mohamed had quit or been fired.

"We have policies in place to make it apparent that any sort of misbehaviour or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated," he added in a statement. "We shall always work in our organization's and Barbados football's best interests."

When asked if he wanted to remark on the claim that he recommended Mohamed, Randy Harris said, "No sir."

During a phone-in show on Freedom FM last week, Dave Browne, the father of St Kitts captain Phoenetia, who plays for German second division team SC Sand, expressed his "great concern" about the situation.

"We can't take it lightly that he has been accused of sexually abusing girls," Browne added.

"As the father of one of the players, I'm quite concerned that the girls could be in danger from all sides.  Atiba Harris needs to step in and explain why he chose him. It's something he owes to the country." he stated.

On Monday, Harris appeared on Freedom FM as a guest to defend the appointment. He stated, "We completed our due diligence on Mr Mohamed. I personally contacted the president of CFU [Randy Harris], who is also the vice-president of Concacaf, as well as other Concacaf and Fifa officials. We received great feedback and recommendations and decided to proceed. Would immigration in St Kitts and Nevis let someone into the nation, issue them a work visa in such a high position, knowing that something like that was on their back, based on the claims made by the gentleman who called in? "You tell me," she says.

"[Mohamed] truly quit for family reasons," Harris continued. Ahmed is a fantastic guy and a fantastic football player who will accomplish wonders for our country. I have complete faith in him."

"At no moment has anyone from St Kitts and Nevis FA reached the Concacaf administration to request information regarding this individual, or any other prospective employee," a Concacaf official stated.

"Given the gravity of the allegations, Fifa will contact the appropriate member associations to ask further facts regarding this incident," a Fifa representative stated. When it comes to football misconduct and abuse, we want to emphasise that Fifa takes any claims brought to its attention very seriously."

Since being elected in August, Atiba Harris, a former defender who retired last year, has made rebuilding the SKNFA a top goal. "I returned to St Kitts after concluding my professional career to give back to football and society," he explained. "We put together a team around ourselves, and you always have some excellent ones and some bad ones." Yes, there will be some adjustments - some people may interpret it incorrectly – but changes must be done in order to move forward."

Jeffrey "Pedro" Hazel's contract as technical director of the SKNFA, as well as the contracts of three other top officials, was terminated with immediate effect in November. Hazel, who led two of the country's women's teams to the final rounds of Concacaf qualifying for the first time last year and had a year left on his contract, is believed to have filed a lawsuit.