15,000 Supporters Boo Troubled Gambian Footballer

1923

By Sulayman Bah

Fifteen thousand opposition supporters yesterday booed Bakary Jatta, a troubled Gambian footballer, Foroyaa Sport can report.

Born in Gunjur, Jatta has come under soaring pressure as his identity became the subject of intense scrutiny in the German media.

It all began with SportBILD a German Sport site’s claims that Bakary has a double identity, alleging the Gambian falsified his documents and thus hoodwinked his way to second tier club Hamburg SV.

In a protracted saga running since start of August, Jatta, as a result is being investigated by the German FA and Hamburg’s district office of the aforesaid allegations.

While outcome of the findings is yet to be made public, opposition supporters have taken the issue in their own hands by booing the forward.

The Gambian was subjected to a smattering of boos by fans of opposition team Karlsruhers each time he touched the ball throughout the 90 minutes yesterday.

The incident happened at the Wildparkstadion by  15,000 strong hostile fans as Jatta’s team Hamburg ran out 4-2 winners.

In the wake of Sunday’s incident, Hamburg’s coach Dieter Hecking has urged the German football association to speed up its probing to bring the matter to conclusion.

‘Bakka (Bakaery) has submitted all the documents and they are valid, and if we can no longer trust the state and the German authorities, then we can go home.

‘I find it unspeakable how he (Bakery) is treated, which among other things means that the people in Karlsruhe think they have to whistle at him,’ Hecking said in the aftermath of the game.

Losing side Karlsruhers, it is understood, lodged an appeal against Hamburg even before start of yesterday’s match contesting the eligibility of Gunjur-born winger. It followed a week after Bochum also did a similar thing when they lost to table-topping Hamburg.