Coach in DR Congo banned by Fifa for 20 years for sexual abuse still training young players

<ul><li><p>Jonathan Bukabakwa released from prison last year</p></li><li><p>Case highlights flaws in Fifa’s safeguarding processes</p></li></ul><p>A coach in the Democratic Republic of the Congo who was banned from football for 20 years by Fifa in March 2023 for sexual abuse of a minor is continuing to take charge of young players, the Guardian can reveal.</p><p>Jonathan Bukabakwa, who is known as Messi and previously coached youth teams in the Limpopo and Malabo regions, was also fined 100,000 Swiss francs after a Fifa investigation <a href="https://inside.fifa.com/legal/judicial-bodies/media-releases/fifa-ethics-committee-provisionally-suspends-coach-in-congo-dr">found him of guilty of sexual abuse</a>. He had also been convicted of similar offences by authorities in the DRC but was released from prison last year.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/13/coach-in-dr-congo-banned-by-fifa-for-20-years-for-sexual-abuse-still-training-young-players">Continue reading...</a>