Italians prove '42-year-old' player is 17 - Capital Sports
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Headlines

Italians prove ’42-year-old’ player is 17

JOSEPH-MINALAROME, Italy, May 29- Pictures of Lazio’s Cameroonian midfielder Joseph Minala spread across the internet in February amidst accusations that he was actually in his early 40s.

With just one look at his picture, it was widely believed that only an idiot would accept that he was actually 17 years old as both he and his club said because, after all, everything that’s shared on the internet is believed to be true even after it’s been proven false.

And this rumour has now been proven false.

A statement released by the Italian association on Wednesday confirmed that Minala has been cleared and is now free to resume his career.

“The federal prosecutor has examined the report and ordered the investigation to be closed,” the statement read. “There are no doubts about his age. He is 17.”

Despite Lazio’s threats of legal action against anyone who accused Minala of falsifying his age, the jokes and abuse from fans and media all over the world became so distressing that he closed up his various social media accounts to try and shield himself from the nastiness that was suddenly being heaped upon him.

For Minala this couldn’t be dismissed as mere banter. Even rumours of age falsification could seriously impact his career before it even starts by scaring away potential suitors and limiting his transfer value.

The accusations persisted and resurfaced when he made his first-team debut in March.

But now that the FIGC has cleared his name and the people who thought they were making fun of a middle aged fraudster have been proven to have been bullying a talented kid who, according to Italian journalist Max Evangelista, spent time in a Cameroon orphanage and survived what he describes as “not a happy life.”

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

So count this as another resounding victory for uninformed mob justice.

– By Yahoo Sports

Advertisement

More on Capital Sports

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – DStv and GOtv subscribers are in for a treat of the world’s best football this week as the 2020-21...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – There is light at the end of the tunnel. After failed promises over the last three years since its...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Gentrix Shikangwa scored with two minutes left as Vihiga Queens sailed to the final of the CECAFA regional qualifiers...

NFL

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s history making Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in America’s National Football League (NFL), is now living...

© 2024 Capital Digital Media. Capital Group Limited. All Rights Reserved