Bertrand Traore’s agent responds to accusations that the Villa winger is faking his current injury

Dr David Traore, agent of Aston Villa player Bertrand Traore, has released a statement denying ‘serious, unfounded and unjust accusations’ made against the winger during a broadcast on BF1 - Burkina Faso’s number one television network on November 5.

Traore’s agent’s statement responds to a number of comments from Boureima Maiga, a former professional footballer, who among other things, claims the 26-year-old is not currently nursing an injury.

The Villa midfielder has been unavailable for selection for both club and country since picking up a thigh injury whilst playing for his international side in October.

Traore has only been able to make five appearances in all competitions so far this campaign for Villa, appearances which total to a mere 117 minutes of game time.

It has been a frustrating time for fans of the claret & blue waiting on updates surrounding the 26-year-old and it seems as though those frustrations have been shared by his countrymen.

Boureima Maiga, a former Burkina Faso international himself, went in hard on the Villa winger during a rant on ‘Au Couer du Sport’ a sports show on the biggest TV station in the country on November 5.

Maiga questioned Traore’s lifestyle choices, him being overlooked for international selection and maybe worst of all - claimed the injury he is currently nursing is not a legitimate one.

And now, the former Lyon star’s agent has hit back in a lengthy statement where he declares that the ‘accusations require a firm and transparent response at the same time to restore the player’s honor, but also for the Burkinabé people to know the truth.’

He starts by calling out everything that Maiga said as ‘obvious accusations or lies’ before going into detail surrounding each point.

In regards to his current injury situation though, Dr. Traore claims it’s insulting not only to the player but to the medical staff of Burkina Faso and Aston Villa.

“The latest accusation, sold as an ‘exclusive information’ by the presenter, regarding the recent injuries that would be ‘diplomatic’ is an insult to Bertrand Traoré’s speech but also to professionalism, to probability and to the ethics of the medical staff of Burkina Faso and the club from Aston Villa,” the statement reads.

“We confirm that Dr. Alain Traoré, Colonel Doctor and Head of the Medical Staff of the Stallions, is in close and permanent contact with Dr. Ricky Shamji, head doctor of the English club, to determine the player’s health condition, to identify his injuries and their evolution, in the purest respect of all medical protocols and international regulations.

“We find it abnormal, unfair and sad that Bertrand Traoré should justify himself, because he is the first to suffer from being unable to help his country in the last World Cup qualifiers.

“On the contrary, we remember that he has been sacrificed several times by playing injured or severely diminished. This was the case again this year against Uganda and South Sudan (March 24 and 29) during the elimination of the CAN 2021, against whom he played the whole of the two matches with a very painful side maintained by a wide bandage, and offered in between all the same here Victory for Etalons vs Bright Star.

“Giving your opinion on a TV set is not an excuse for everything. A former player (2 caps), who has had to suffer injuries during his career, should show more empathy before making disrespectful judgments or making baseless accusations. Unless it’s hiding something. Because we question the motives of those who made these accusations.

“We will not allow anyone to question the honesty, patriotism and professionalism of Bertrand Traoré, and we reaffirm his entire devotion to his country and compatriots to whom he always hopes to bring chills of happiness through football, and this, since 2009 when he had Started with the Burkina Faso Junior Stallions National Team!

“Dr David TRAORE, Player Agent.”

If you want to read the full statement from Bertrand Traore’s agent, Dr. David Traore, you can do so here.

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