FIFA said its investigation into Keramuudin Karim concerned allegations of “repeated sexual abuse” from at least five female Afghan players.
On Saturday, a day after the Women’s World Cup got under way in France, FIFA confirmed it had found Karim “guilty of having abused his position”.
In a statement, world football’s governing body said: “The adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Karim had breached article 23 [protection of physical and mental integrity] and article 25 [abuse of position] of the FIFA Code of Ethics”.
In addition to receiving a life ban from all football-related activities at both national and international level, Karim has been fined one million Swiss Francs (£794,849).
Neither Karim nor the AFF were immediately available for comment. In a previous statement, the AFF said it “vigorously rejects the false accusations made with regard to the AFF’s women’s national team”.
Khalida Popal, a former player for the Afghanistan women’s national football team, responded to Karim’s ban by hailing a successful “first step”.
In a Twitter post, Popal wrote: “Football is not a place for abuse, we shouldn’t let the abuse culture [remain] in football. Women should be protected in the system.”
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