Taribo West, the former Nigerian international, strongly rejected accusations of age fraud during his football career. Responding to comments made by Zarko Zecevic, the former manager of Partizan Belgrade, West dismissed the accusations and referred to Zecevic as “sick.”
In an interview with the local magazine Complete Sports, West expressed his disbelief in Zecevic’s claims, stating, “I think he’s sick. If I was 40 years old in 2002-2003, as he claims, how old would I be now? He was never a serious man. I don’t see anything important in everything he says.”
West pointed out that after leaving Partizan Belgrade, he continued to play at a high level for another seven years, challenging the notion that he was over 40 at that time.
Regarding his time at Partizan Belgrade, West explained that he wasn’t initially planning to play there, but Lothar Matthaus, the former German international, facilitated his move from Kaiserslautern in Germany. West mentioned experiencing racism at Kaiserslautern and left after two months. Matthaus then encouraged him to join Partizan Belgrade.
Despite the allegations, West stated that he is not willing to engage in any disputes with Zecevic, choosing to ignore the accusations as they lack substance. West is determined to move past the issue and maintain his focus on his football legacy.
