Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Mohammed Paul Bangoura, a rising star with Fortune Football Club in the Gambian Premier League, is facing the biggest test of his young career after sustaining a serious injury earlier this year.
The 21-year-old forward fractured his femur in January 2025, following a road traffic accident on his way home from his debut league match. Nearly ten months later, he remains sidelined, his football future in jeopardy, as he seeks financial support for urgent surgery abroad.
A Devastating Injury
According to medical reports seen by this publication, Bangoura suffered a midshaft femur fracture—a displaced break of the thigh bone—after being struck by the door of a “batch car,” a shared taxi widely used in West Africa.
He was admitted to a trauma center before later seeking help from a Traditional Bone Setter (TBS), a practice still common but often deemed risky by medical professionals.
Doctors eventually confirmed the severity of the injury, citing limb shortening and abnormal mobility, and strongly recommended surgery—an option unavailable in The Gambia and requiring treatment abroad.
Conflicting Accounts Over Treatment
Fortune FC officials say they initially stepped in to help. Secretary General Muhammed Lamin Drammeh told this outlet that the club president and other officials visited Bangoura in the hospital and covered his initial medical bills.
“He was examined and recommended for surgery, which the club was ready to fund,” Drammeh explained. “But his mother refused and insisted on traditional treatment instead.”
Drammeh further claimed that Bangoura’s mother later took him to Guinea-Bissau in search of alternative healing, without informing the club. When that attempt failed, doctors once again advised surgery.
“The club re-engaged the family to support surgery in Senegal,” Drammeh said. “But his mother insisted it must be in Europe, preferably England—something the club could not afford.”
Bangoura’s Side of the Story
While Bangoura confirmed the Guinea-Bissau trip and its outcome, he disputed parts of the club’s version. He denied ever being offered surgery in Senegal and accused the club of going silent after his return.
“Since we came back, we have called the club president several times, but he has not responded,” Bangoura said. “All I need now is the surgery. I want to come back to my best and play again. I know my mother is cautious, but if we can get the support—even in Senegal—we are ready.”
A Career on the Line
Once tipped as a breakout talent and a teammate of Yankuba Minteh—now Gambia’s brightest football export—Bangoura’s debut season has turned into a desperate fight for recovery.
Medical experts warn that delaying surgery after failed traditional treatment can cause permanent disability, chronic pain, and the end of a professional sporting career.
For Bangoura, however, the dream remains alive. “I just want to play again,” he said with quiet determination. “This is all I have ever known.”
Supporters, former teammates, and well-wishers are now being called upon to help raise funds for his surgery, wherever it may take place, to save both his career and his mobility.
