St Kitts FA backs director of football appointment after abuse claims

THE St Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) is defending the appointment of its new director of football, Ahmed Mohamed, a year after the coach resigned from his post at the Barbados Football Association amid accusations of sexual assault.

The SKNFA issued a statement on Thursday, acknowledging a report published by The Guardian in the UK on the same day, highlighting his controversial appointment last September.

The SKNFA said while the allegations are serious, it is of the belief that the article was "maliciously contrived by a certain faction of persons who wish to tarnish the good name of the SKNFA and our recently appointed director of football."

It read, "The (SKNFA) has received and reviewed an online article published today in The Guardian newspaper...titled 'FIFA investigates after St Kitts appoint coach accused of sexual abuse," the statement read.

"The SKNFA wishes its stakeholders and the general public to know that FIFA has not contacted the SKNFA to investigate any of the allegations contained in the said article."

The statement, signed by the association's general secretary Techell McLean, said the local body "conducted a serious and fulsome due diligence exercise involving consultations with members of the Barbados Football Association, Concacaf, and other persons who knew Mr Mohamed personally.

"The SKNFA was, and remains, fully satisfied that Mr Mohamed is of good character – the allegations made against him being false – and he has the requisite technical ability to perform his functions to take SKNFA football to higher levels."

The Guardian's article noted that Mohamed, a former Somalia international defender, left his post in Barbados last February after 27 players from its women's team signed a letter urging the BFA to investigate claims of assault and unwelcome text messaging by one of the players against the coach.

There were allegations of abuse by at least one other player.

A petition was also created by some of the players calling for a thorough and immediate investigation. Mohamed stepped down shortly after but reportedly said he did so for "family reasons."

According to the Guardian report, a spokesperson from Concacaf denied any contact was made by the SKNFA concerning Mohamed.

"At no point has anyone from the St Kitts and Nevis FA contacted the Concacaf administration to seek information regarding this individual, or any other prospective employee," the spokesperson reportedly said.

It said Fifa promised to investigate the concerns.

"Given the seriousness of the allegations, Fifa will contact the relevant member associations to request more details about this matter," the Guardian quoted Fifa as saying.

"When it comes to misconduct and abuse in football, we wish to reiterate that Fifa takes any allegations reported to it very seriously."