MLS star Aaron Boupendza risks being sentenced to prison in Gabon after a sex tape allegedly involving him was leaked earlier this week.
According to Senegalese outlet Senenews, the footage reportedly shows the Gabon international in a very intimate act with a woman.
Under Gabonese law, which prohibits the circulation of pornographic content, Boupendza could face a maximum fine of 10million Central African Francs (£13,100) and up to five years in prison if found guilty.
‘Anyone, who distributes, records or transmits the image or representation of an adult when this image or this representation is of a pornographic nature is punishable by up to five years of imprisonment and 10,000,000 FCFA fine at most,’ Article 430 of the Gabonese Penal Code states.
Neither the 27-year-old, who plays for FC Cincinnati, nor the Gabonese football federation have publicly addressed the leaked tape yet.
FC Cincinnati star Aaron Boupendza risks being sentenced to prison in Gabon after a sex tape allegedly involving him was leaked earlier this week.
The Panthers missed out on qualification to the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations after finishing third in Group I behind the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mauritania.
Boupendza has seven goals in 33 appearances for the national side and scored the winner in Gabon’s 1-0 win over Comoros in their opening fixture at AFCON two years ago.
He started five of Gabon’s six AFCON qualifiers over the last 18 months, but was not in the squad for the World Cup qualifier wins against Kenya and Burundi in November.
In a statement, the Gabonese FA attributed his omission to Boupendza’s late arrival into camp during the international window.
A month earlier, the former Bordeaux striker missed FC Cincinnati’s regular season finale against Atlanta United for returning late from international duty.
Speaking after Boupendza’s omission from the Gabon squad in November, FC Cincinnati general manager Chris Albright insisted the MLS club was fully behind their striker.
The 27-year-old striker has scored seven goals in 33 appearances for Gabon
Boupendza netted six goals in 14 games since for FC Cincinnati last season
The Gabonese (first left, front row) helped FC Cincinnati win their first ever Supporters’ Shield last season – the trophy awarded to the team that finishes with the best regular season record
‘We’re fully in support of Aaron and there’s no discipline to come out of FC Cincinnati,’ he told The Cincinnati Enquirer.
‘One, we support him and, two, it’s not our issue anyway. We’re looking forward for him to be back in training.’
Albright also dismissed the suggestion the late return to Cincinnati in October and the late arrival on international duty a month later pointed to a worrying trend.
‘They’re completely separate things. Not inter-related,’ he said,
‘We’re supporting Aaron on this one.’
Boupendza signed for Cincinnati from Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab in July for £5.6milllion and made an immediate impact, scoring six goals in 14 appearances including the playoffs.
His prolific form helped The Orange and Blue to secure a maiden MLS Supporters’ Shield – the trophy awarded to the team with the best regular season record – with three games to spare.
Cincinnati reached the Eastern Conference finals but were knocked out by eventual MLS champions Columbus Crew after squandering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2.
