It was reported by The Guardian in December that former under-17s national team coach Patrick Assoumou Eyi faced accusations of raping, grooming and exploiting young players.

Eyi was arrested and charged in Gabon, and according to the same publication is awaiting sentencing after admitting to committing the crimes.

He was provisionally suspended from all football-related activities by the Gabonese Football Federation (FEGAFOOT) in December, which FIFA's Disciplinary Committee has now applied worldwide.

FIFA has also "provisionally banned" La Ligue de Football de l’Estuaire President Serge Ahmed Mombo and coaches Triphel Mabicka and Orphée Mickala from football activity for 90 days.

It said these sanctions were taken "in connection with ongoing criminal investigations".

The Ethics Committee opened preliminary investigation proceedings in December last year into allegations of sexual abuse, which reportedly date back three decades.

Pierre-Alain Mounguengui was re-elected as FEGAFOOT President last month, but has since been placed in pre-trial detention after facing charges relating to not reporting allegations of the crimes committed by coaches.

Mounguengui has not been accused of committing sexual abuse himself.

FEGAFOOT had been leading the investigation into the allegations which had rocked Gabonese football, but the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) "expressed concerns about its competence to manage a complex and sensitive investigation into sexual abuse".

In March, FIFPro detailed "extensive criticism for extraordinary levels of mismanagement" levelled at FEGAFOOT, and said its preliminary investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse was "deeply concerning".

"We have identified several victims and multiple witnesses who spoke of a series of high-profile and serial abusers, who are deeply embedded in Gabonese footballing structures," the FIFpro statement read.

"These individuals were allowed to continue to abuse their position despite concerns being raised both publicly and privately with the most senior individuals at FEGAFOOT.

"Indeed, a review of public sources by our investigatory team show that senior FEGAFOOT officials acknowledged they knew about the allegations of abuse.

"In short, it was an open secret that was not addressed for years."

FIFPro also called on FIFA to "ensure a competent and independent investigation takes place".