MBORAN APPEALS AGAINST 4-YEAR WRESTLING BAN

By Sulayman Bah The Bakau based Fekeh machi bolleh club, Mboran, has written to the Gambia Wrestling Association (GWA) to appeal against the four-year ban imposed on him, Foroyaa Sport can report. Mboran was suspended by the GWA for ‘deliberately abandoning’ his duel against the Gambian national wrestling team captain Leket Bu Barra. However, in a bid to have the decision revoked or the ban period reduced, Mboran has written to appeal for reconsideration. ‘We have written to them (the GWA) to appeal the decision,” Babacarr Seck, Mboran’s manager, told Foroyaa Sport yesterday morning. Meanwhile, the sport governing body is yet to make public outcome of the appeal. The furore, it could be recalled, began after the referee halted the wrestling after two minutes into the fight when he discovered that the carpet on which the fight was being staged was not entirely covered with sand. This was at time when the two wrestlers have already grabbed each other but which apparently infuriated Mboran, who matched out of the ring and refused to continue with the fight. Leket, who is unbeaten for the past two seasons, was then declared the winner on the spot by the referee on account of his adversary’s refusal to return to the arena and continue the fight. The Wrestling Association, after concluding its investigation, decided to impose a four-year ban on Mboran, reportedly the lengthiest ban since resurrection of the traditional sport. This decision, however, has been received in some quarters as too harsh.]]>