FIFA hands five-year ban to former Guyana official Alves
FIFA has banned former Guyana Football Federation general secretary Ian Alves for five years after its independent Ethics Committee found he abused his position to sexually harass female staff members.
FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has banned Ian Alves, the former general secretary of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), from all football-related activity for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.FIFA also imposed a fine of CHF 20,000 on Alves, citing breaches of the FIFA Code of Ethics covering protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.FIFA said the ruling followed analysis of written statements from victims, documentation provided by the GFF, Alves’s submissions, and other evidence gathered during the investigatory chamber’s investigation.Alves stepped down from his role in 2024, according to the reporting and FIFA’s statement, and the sanction took effect on May 4 when the decision was notified to him.FIFA said the full grounds for the decision will be communicated to Alves within 60 days, in line with its ethics procedures, and reiterated that it maintains a strict stance against abuse in football.The case adds to governance pressure on federations and confederations to strengthen safeguarding systems, including clear reporting pathways, independent investigative capacity, and employment policies that reduce retaliation risk for staff.It also underlines the growing commercial sensitivity of integrity and welfare enforcement, as sponsors and broadcast partners increasingly build contractual expectations around safeguarding standards and organisational response in misconduct cases.