Hell on earth

For two decades players, referees and employees of the Haitian football federation were forced to have sex with visiting football officials. One of the visitors who accepted this “gift”, was the then Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

By Romain Molina

For almost two decades, leading officials at the Haitian football association (FHF) built a vast network of sexual exploitation. This included rape of teenage girls and boys, abortions, blackmail and death threats. According to Haitian court documents in Josimar’s possession, at least one victim has committed suicide.

The Fifa Goal Centre of La-Croix-des-Bouquets was like “hell on earth” according to victims. Concacaf or Fifa delegations visiting Haiti to attend refereeing courses or to inspect the progress of the Fifa Goal Centre were offered a player, a referee or an employee to have sex with. Some of football’s most senior officials, including Sepp Blatter, took advantage of this system.

“You came to Haiti, you received a girl from the federation at your hotel. This is how it worked,” says the former captain of the national team and president of the players’ union, Ernso Laurence. He is one of the few who has spoken publicly about what went on inside FHF.

”I've been fighting against former president (Yves Jean-Bart) and his corrupt administration since 2007. I’ve spoken about all kinds of abuses, including the sexual ones.“

After a Guardian investigation, Yves Jean-Bart (74), was banned for life by Fifa in november 2020 for sexual abuse of 14 player...

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