Ex-Premier League Player Accused of Fare Evasion

Former Premier League defender Sebastien Bassong is reportedly facing prosecution by Transport for London (TfL) over allegations of evading a £7 Tube fare. The incident allegedly occurred when Bassong used an invalid travel pass and followed another passenger through a London Underground barrier.

Bassong, 40, who previously played for Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, has stated that he was unaware of the prosecution and had not received any formal notification. He claims the pass he was using had been given to him by someone else and that he did not know it was invalid. "I use the Tube every day. I'm a good citizen," he told The Sun.

The case involves an alleged incident where Bassong attempted to use an Oyster card before passing through a barrier without a valid ticket. According to a witness statement from TfL employee Adebukola Anifowose, Bassong was observed pretending to tap an Oyster card in a wallet before tailgating through a wide-aisle gate behind another individual. When asked to produce the card, Bassong presented a Transport for London Staff Nominee Pass lacking the required accompanying photocard.

System checks reportedly revealed that the pass did not belong to Bassong and had last been used in October 2025. The witness stated that checks confirmed the pass was registered to an acquaintance. No valid ticket was presented for entry into the compulsory ticket area, with the avoided fare noted as £7.

Bassong, who resides in north London, was reportedly expected to respond to the charge by September 15 but has not yet done so. The allegations surface years after Bassong established himself in the Premier League, initially joining Newcastle from French club Metz in 2008 before moving to Tottenham the following year for a reported £8 million. He was part of the Tottenham squad that qualified for the Champions League, scoring on his debut against Liverpool and in a Champions League qualifying match against Young Boys.

Bassong made 71 appearances for Tottenham before transferring to Norwich City in 2012. He also had loan spells at Wolves and Watford, later becoming a key player and captain for Norwich over five years. His career concluded in 2018 after a stint with Peterborough United and then the Greek side Volos. The Cameroon international also represented his country 19 times and has since worked as a football pundit.

The Daily Mail has contacted Bassong for further comment, and TfL declined to comment.