Ex-Ivory Coast striker Ben Badi sentenced after court ruling in Abidjan

Former Ivory Coast international Abdoulaye Traoré has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of rape by a court in Abidjan.

The verdict was delivered on 22 April 2026, bringing to a close legal proceedings that had lasted five years.

The 59-year-old, widely known as Ben Badi, was convicted over the rape of a 19-year-old woman in 2021.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a ten-year ban on his civil rights and prohibited him from residing in Bouaké for five years.

He was also ordered to pay 15 million CFA francs in damages to the victim.

The ruling marks a significant fall for a figure once celebrated in Ivorian football. Traoré had built a reputation as a prolific striker during his playing career, earning recognition both domestically and internationally.

He finished as the top scorer in the Ivorian league in 1992 and 1994, achievements that established him as one of the leading forwards of his generation.

On the international stage, he also left a notable mark, particularly during the Africa Cup of Nations 1988, where he ended the competition as top scorer.

His most prominent success came in 1992, when he played a key role in helping Ivory Coast secure their first continental title at the Africa Cup of Nations 1992.

That triumph cemented his place in the country’s football history and earned him lasting recognition among supporters.

The conviction now represents a stark contrast to those earlier achievements, closing a chapter that once saw him regarded as a national sporting hero.