Police investigate recording device found in women’s toilets at Mauritius FA
Several employees of the Mauritius Football Association have been summoned by police after an employee said she had discovered a mobile phone in video recording mode hidden in the women’s toilets at the association’s headquarters.
Didier Pragassa – a former sports journalist who stepped down last week citing a health problem after seven years as secretary general – is due to meet police on Friday after two other senior officials were also asked to give their version of events.
According to a police complaint filed by the administrative secretary Mila Sinnasamy on Tuesday, the mobile phone discovered on 30 July was concealed in a blue basket placed in the water tank of the women’s toilet at the MFA’s headquarters in Trianon, 15 kilometres from the capital, Port Louis.
She claimed the device was on and was being used to record users of the toilet, having been “placed in such a manner where if ever someone enter [ed] the toilet premises she would be clearly seen and if a lady removed her pants her private parts would be clearly seen”.
Sinnasamy also said in her complaint that she took a video of the phone. Sinnasamy informed Nazeer Bowud, the MFA’s assistant secretary general, by letter and says she was told an internal investigation had been initiated before she went to the police after seeing no immediate action taken. Bowud, who has taken over as interim secretary general after Pragassa’s departure, was due to be interviewed by police on Thursday after the communications manager Caitkie Vaghjee was summoned on Wednesday.
Pragassa has so far declined to comment, and the MFA president Samir
Sobha told local media: “The truth always triumphs.”
The MFA’s headquarters at Sepp Blatter Football House are also home to the country’s youth sides, with several teams regularly using the facilities. Jayesh Rampadarath, a director at the top-flight side GRSE Wanderers SC, told the Guardian the allegations had raised concerns among parents.
“Some immediately contacted me after the news was published,” he said. “They’re very worried because the facilities are also used by the under-17 girls; there are two ladies’ toilets which players and staff are using. I am pushing the parents to make police statements. I have personally approached the child protection unit at the government for help and assistance too. This is a serious matter, and we hope Fifa will agree to take action.”