Sebastien Bassong, a former player for Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, has been accused of evading a £7 Tube fare by allegedly using an invalid travel pass and following another passenger through a barrier on the London Underground. Transport for London (TfL) is reportedly prosecuting Bassong after a revenue officer stopped him on the network.
The 39-year-old defender stated that he was unaware the pass he was using was invalid, claiming it was given to him by someone else. He told The Sun, 'I didn't know about the prosecution and I haven't received a letter. I was using a card given to me, and I was stopped, and I didn't know it wasn't good enough. I use the Tube every day. I'm a good citizen.'
The case involves an incident where Bassong allegedly attempted to use an Oyster card before entering the compulsory ticket area without a valid ticket. A TfL employee, Adebukola Anifowose, provided a witness statement indicating that he observed Bassong pretending to tap an Oyster card before tailgating through a wide-aisle gate behind another male.
When asked to present the card used at the barrier, Bassong reportedly showed a Transport for London Staff Nominee Pass that lacked the necessary accompanying photocard. System checks later revealed that the pass did not belong to him and had last been used in October 2025. Anifowose noted that Bassong did not show a valid ticket for being in the compulsory ticket area, resulting in the fare evasion of £7.
Bassong, who resides in north London, was required to respond to the charge by September 15 but has not done so. The allegations arise years after he gained recognition in the Premier League, having joined Newcastle from Metz in 2008 and moving to Tottenham the following year for a reported fee of £8 million. He was part of the Spurs team that qualified for the Champions League and scored on his debut against Liverpool.
Bassong made 71 appearances for Tottenham before transferring to Norwich City in 2012, where he spent five years and captained the team. He later played for Peterborough United and Volos in Greece before retiring. He has also represented Cameroon in 19 matches and has worked as a football pundit. The Daily Mail has reached out to Bassong for further comments, while TfL has declined to comment.