PHOTO LEAK: Papiss Cissé Gambling in Aspers Casino?
The photo was taken back in November the night before Newcastle’s away game in Brugge by Toon fan, Andrew Mcnally. Having been put up and circulated on Twitter by @Lyall_c, the photo went viral and has since attracted the attention of national papers, the Daily Mail and The Daily Mirror.
The striker, who is a devout Muslim, has recently caused a stir in refusing to wear the new Wonga-sponsored United shirt, not wanting to promote the money-lending company on religious grounds.
Although teammates Cheik Tioté and Moussa Sissoko are also Muslim, they have had no issue with wearing the sponsor’s logo.
The position of Islam on gambling, of course, is that it is prohibited, harmful and destructive to society. Gambling is addictive by nature, a practice that takes money from the poor with the perceived, yet illusive promise that they may “win” something without having to work for it, similar to the thought behind money lending companies such as Wonga.
There is of course no guarantee this is Cissé but, despite the fact the photo is blurred, the figure carries the notable low-slung shoulders and the slightly dubious dress sense of Papiss Cissé.
I don’t believe a player should be forced to do anything which infringes on their religious beliefs, but this photo brings the issue into as whole new perspective. There have been suggestions that the wongagate fiasco is merely a ploy to force a move elsewhere, and this would fortify that argument.
What do you think? If this is indeed Cissé, where do we go from here?
The Spectator's View 
Why is anyone surprised?? It’s do as I say..not as I do!!!
Get a life. The guy in the photo looks nothing like cisse. What is worth publishing such nonsense circulated by others trying to pillory the guy.
A friend i went to college frequents aspers every other weekend, he was always going on about seeing Cissé. mainly how much he didnt rate him and how one day he will tell him in the casino, but the point is there never the less, Cissé is always in there, this whole wonga thing is a ruse to get pulling power in the club to get his own way, he wants to play as an out and out central striker, which he should be, but he is using this wonga bullsh*t as a way to get it.
Howay, kick a man when he’s down too, why don’t you? There is NO way you can prove this is Papiss Cisse! BUT If it is him, yeah sure, let him go as he is blatently flouting his religious beliefs and as it seems he is refusing to wear the w*ng* shirt – get rid and let him wear one he feels comfortable in. After a poor 2012-13 season, the Toon can do better without him ( We can buy better, can’t we? – we have JFK, a Director of F***All after all! HTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cisse being a gambler isn’t exactly a new story, it’s pretty much common knowledge tbh, but this will at least prove to those with their heads in the sand that this is anything but a ‘religious’ objection. he’s after a new contract or a move imo.
also, i think it might still be illegal to take or reproduce photos of the interior of a casino with a private member in shot. it certainly was a few years ago, though gaming legislation may have changed since then
Cisse is darker than that
All the corruption going on in the world and people are twittering on about this.
Do none of you think there is a chance that he just isn’t training because of Ramadan and this whole story is just being strung out to get as much free publicity for wonga as possible?
What a pointless article.
Cisse sh’d knw were we africans we come frm b4 he makes a decision.
Looks like he’s got a vodka and coke on the go as well
All I can see is Harry is a total prick, who are u to judge ??
What are you going on abou? Cause we have a right to judge if he’s holding the club to ransom while contradicting himself at the same time. The club pays his wages, he then refuses to wear Wonga (an action already deemed unnecessary by the British Muslim council) and spend his time betting in a casino, a far worse offence in any case.
Clearly not playing poker either. It’s no secret to any aspers regulars that cisse go’s there often…and so what. Hopefully though we can replace him with someone decent who knows the offside rule.
Gambling as such is not banned by the Qur’an. Games of chance are nit allowed, but the Qur’an specifically allows wagers on horse racing and archery by the contestants, rather than by spectators. This is often taken as allowing betting on “games of skill”, and I guess most poker players, whether they are Muslims or not, believe they can win by using skill, rather than just the luck of what cards they get.
What’s the odds on that being Cisse anyway?
All this implies is, ‘Whether or not it’s him in the picture, we all know he’s not a perfect muslim anyway, coz of course we know what one of them is. The others have done it, so what is he moaning about?’ It is no ones job to commentate on, or try to dictate, the moral codes of someone else if they’re not harming others. Whatever contradictions he has, are his own.
Especially as there have been no quotes at all on it, I think it’s best kept to the footballing side of things. I just hope that if he stays that the muslim council of britain have also advised him on the offside law and he has 2 new strikers around him, or we sign 3 if he goes, both a stretch I think.
how can you tell that cisse??? you absolute fool!
Given it was me @trotts01 who first published the photo not C Lyall as you say i’ll add a bit to the story.
The photo was taken by my mate the night before we went to Brugge away in November, my mate was sitting next to him at the blackjack table in Aspers. Took a photo – the quality not being great given your not allowed to take photos at the table and he had to do it on the sly. He then spoke to Papiss about why he wasn’t in Brugge and football in general for the next 10 mins.
He showed us the photo on the ferry the next day and we forgot all about it as there was nothing to it at the time, that is until the weekend when I remembered the photo and got him to send it to me yesterday and I duly uploaded it to twitter and facebook to if nothing else belittle his argument and strengthen Newcastles position.
full of it !! your talking absolute rubbish! sad no life, little weirdos
You talk as if as supporters of the club we have some insight into, or right to, influence the mans life. What business is it of yours to attempt to belittle him? How do you think it strengthens Newcastles position in anything? Do you really think the conversation of, ‘Well, there’s a snap of you in a casino so we don’t believe anything you say’, would be productive?
Very funny ,possibly just a wind up but thats unknown for sure,I morally disagree with gambling because it fuels corruption and also pay day loan companies targeting poor with 400%interest ,but i also Cisse should realise that people are responsible for themselves decisions they make in life ignore wonga if they want this is a financial world we live in.Cisse is out of order.
If it is the case that he is declining to wear the shirt, he is taking responsibility for himself and making a decision for the world he lives in. I haven’t seen anything about him objecting to others wearing the shirts or using the company.
(wonga) think Cisse is offside again .
This is completely fake.
1) Are hats (headgear) allowed in Casinos
2) The UK has been very hot during the last couple of weeks. Why the winter-gear?
3) The picture is too grainy, making this is a huge stunt by WONGA
4) Pretty sure Cisse would be breaking at that hour
‘Anonymous’ (nice name) i’m not trying to influence anyones life, is the photo in the publics interest ? I’d suggest its in the interests of the 50,000 Newcastle fans who pay good money to support their side . All we ask for is a bit honesty . From where i’m looking Cisses trying to manufacture a move away on some sort of religious belief, that being so doesn’t the photo show him as a bit of a hypocrite ?
Not for me to judge him make your own mind up.
Swella – As said previously the photo was taken in November before we went to Brugge (the very next day), The picture was taken on a S3 but as your not allowed to take photos in the casino it was done on the sly hence the poor quality.
I’m not hiding behind any alias because I’ve nothing to hide.
Just let Cisse go.
None of you seem to object to have the logo of a loan shark on your teams shirt..
Based on that you are in no position to judge Cisse’s decision.
Regardless if it is him in the picture.
A SC Freiburg Fan
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