By Sulayman Bah
The media in Berlin appears to be out on a target on refugee-turned footballers after a second Gambian striker is accused of criminal Behaviour, Foroyaa Sport can report.
Ousman Manneh, a player of Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen, has had his image tainted after the German media suggested he might have hoodwinked authorities by forging his age to land a deal.
The allegations fly in after widely read German publication BILD claimed refugee-turned Gambian winger Bakery Jatta is not who he claims to be, insinuating he played under a different name for Gambia U-20s.
BILD based its stories from articles it said it derived from the Gambian press suggesting Bakery’s family name is Daffeh instead of Jatta – a thing proven to be false with no web links to back up their claim.
The allegation went viral sparking a furore leading to probing into the saga by the German FA.
Photo: Bakery waiting outcome of German FA’s findings
And barely a week after this, the Berlin press seems at it again this time accusing Ousman Manneh of fraud, relying on a story ran by FIFA chronicling Manneh’s rise in which his year of birth was written as 1995 instead of 1997.
However, Hamburg’s Sporting Director Frank Baumann was swift in repudiating the assertions.
‘We checked this at that time within the scope of our possibilities. There is no reason for doubt (Ousman’s age),’ Baumann said yesterday.
The 22-year-old arrived in German after taking the risky trip to Europe by boat just like Bakary.
