Due to the evolution of the Covid-19 contamination curve, the National Management Committee and the Ministry of Sport have agreed to resume fighting for the 2020/2021 season. But Matar Bâ, the Senegalese Minister of Sports, remains categorical, “it will be in camera or nothing.” He also said that the State of Senegal intends to support the promoters who will suffer from this new decision by granting them a grant.
The 2020/2021 control season has been slow to start due to the health crisis in Senegal. The promoters will have to do with the closed door despite the shocks in contention this year and the advances already received by the wrestlers. After meeting with the CNG in December 2020, Senegalese Minister of Sports Matar Bâ said that “promoters who agree to organize their fights behind closed doors will be subsidized.”
The wrestlers say they are ready for this new pattern. The Rock of the Reclaimed Plots and now King of the Arenas, Modou Lô, admits that the current situation of the world requires that competitions continue without the presence of an audience. “We have seen structures such as FIFA and the NBA organize behind closed doors. We don’t really need the public. Pay-per-view and image rights are there to provide solutions. No one wants to be unemployed. I am indeed ready to fight behind closed doors against Ama Baldé. It is not easy to train without knowing when we will fight,” he says.
The fight promoters already have their battles in their pockets. The emblematic figure of the Senegalese struggle, Gaston Mbengue, has already mounted three major shocks: two revanches, Balla Gaye 2/ Bombardier, Eumeu Sène/ Lac 2 and a unique duel between Modou Anta and Diène Kaïré. The promoter Luc Nicolaï offers amateurs the royal fight between Modou Lô and Ama Baldé. The other great backer of the arena, Pape Abdou Fall (PAF) returns with Siteu/ Papa Sow scheduled since April 2020 but the coronavirus has passed by. The pope promoter Thialis Faye after two white seasons also returns in force by sealing the duel between Tapha Tine and Boy Niang 2. The TFM, which signs his return in the organization of the fights, offers the fight between Gouye Gui and Reug Reug.
It is now up to the CNG to find the dates for all these already sealed fights and to set the organization modalities according to the current context. Indeed, this season will start late (probably in March) with Ramadan scheduled in mid-April, the korite festival in mid-May, tabaski in July, etc. So there is no time to lose.
