Former president of Afghanistan’s Football Federation, Keramuddin Karim, who is accused of sexual and physical abuse of woman footballers on Friday appeared at a public gathering in his hometown Panjshir province and said he is ready to respond to allegations against him at an "impartial" court.

He said the government has exploited his case politically.

“I am ready, I was ready and I will be ready if they act based on the law,” said Karim. “If I am found guilty, there will be no need for a court. I give the authority to my people to implement any punishment they want to put on me.”

On August 24, the Afghan special forces with air support launched an operation in Panjshir province to arrest Keramuddin Karim, but the operation failed. 

But the Afghan Ministry of Interior said the security forces will finally arrest Karim.

Last month, President Ashraf Ghani called on the people of Panjshir to help arrest Karim and handover him to the legal and judicial institutions.

Back in June 2019, Karim was found guilty by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee of having abused his position and sexually abused various female players.

As a result, he was sanctioned with a life ban from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level, as well as a fine in the amount of CHF 1,000,000.

Keramuddin Karim, who was president of the Afghanistan Football Federation, was also fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1 million).

Legal experts criticized judicial institutions for their failure to implement the law on those who commit a crime.

“The rule of law lies under the cold shadow of politics in Afghanistan. Judicial institutions are not sovereign and free,” said Nasir Taimoori, a researcher at Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA).