The Afghanistan Football Federation president, Keramuudin Karim, has denied allegations he sexually and physically abused members of the women\u2019s national team.<\/p>\n
Ariana News Agency-\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Three players detailed to the Guardian last week the abuse they say they suffered at the hands of Karim. He and four other senior Afghan FA officials have been barred from leaving the country by the attorney general\u2019s office, which is looking into the claims.<\/p>\n Speaking to the news agency AFP, Karim suggested that the players may have invented the claims to assist asylum applications. \u201cThis is a conspiracy,\u201d he added. \u201cThere has been no evidence or proof provided, only a number of unidentified voices, anonymous identities have made the allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n The players said they were speaking anonymously because of fears for their safety, and that of their families. One player said she was punched and sexually assaulted in a hidden bedroom off Karim\u2019s office, and that he held a gun to her head. Karim said his accusers may be using the allegations to \u201cseek asylum in Europe\u201d or \u201cconspiring to defame us, hurt us in the federation\u201d. He claimed: \u201cThey are inside and outside the country plotting against us.\u201d<\/p>\n The father of 11, who has two wives, added: \u201cThe attorney general will investigate to find out if there is any truth to the claims. I personally am not aware of such things taking place. As a father and a husband I have been affected. It has been painful.\u201d \u201cThey are ongoing investigations and therefore the details of such evidence will be disclosed to the proper parties in due course,\u201d Carter added. \u201cThe identities of the [players] will continue to be protected as their safety is of utmost importance.\u201d The Afghanistan Football Federation president, Keramuudin Karim, has denied allegations he sexually and physically abused members of the women\u2019s national team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1582,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_mat_hreflang_tags":[],"addvideo":"","video_duration":"","farsit":"","target":"0","top_stories":"1","top":"0"},"categories":[2,9,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-afghanistan","category-social","category-sport"],"acf":{"myctype":"change","target":false,"top_stories":true,"top":false,"farsit":""},"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u201cI strongly deny these allegations,\u201d said Karim, who has been provisionally suspended by Fifa.<\/p>\n
\nAnother player claimed Karim threatened to cut out her tongue after she ran off when being sexually assaulted; the third alleged that Karim tried to kiss her neck and lips and that after she ran from the room she was dropped from the national squad and accused of being a lesbian.<\/p>\n
\nHaley Carter, a former assistant coach of the team, disputed Karim\u2019s claims of a lack of evidence, saying that the players had \u201cpersonally provided testimony in both investigations\u201d.<\/p>\n
\nCarter said she was confident that anyone \u201cresponsible for committing abuse will be held accountable for their abhorrent actions\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"