Asylum footballer on tag.

A TALENTED footballer will have to play with an electronic tag on his ankle after admitting fraud and having a false passport.

Judge Peter Bowers told Ballo Ousmane, pictured, he could not treat him any differently because of his sporting commitments and gave him a community sentence with a curfew order.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 26-year-old is to be deported to his Ivory Coast homeland at the end of his sentence if his appeal to stay in the country fails.

The former professional with Ivory Coast team Sabe Sports of Bouna fled Africa in 2003.

Since arriving on Teesside Ousmane has become part of the family at Marske United and the club launched a Let Ballo Stay and Play campaign, including calls to MPs and the Home Office to grant him a temporary work permit.

Those appeals were refused but yesterday the court heard the English FA were looking into ways of altering his status from an asylum seeker to allow him to stay and play football. This would alter his status from being an asylum seeker to seeking a work permit, his barrister Colin Harvey said.

In March Ousmane, of Raby Road, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to four charges of possessing a false identity document and one of fraud.

The court heard he presented employment agencies with a fake French passport falsely stating he was eligible to work in the UK.

Judge Bowers said: "I can understand how the tag creates a problem for you in your football training but it's essential the authorities know where you are." He gave Ousmane a six-month community order with the curfew continuing for four months.