Last week Jim Solbakken claimed not to be Babacar Sarr’s agent. But at the time Sarr was due in court on a rape charge, Solbakken negotiated with clubs and agents on behalf of Sarr and discussed potential transfers with the player, documents in Josimar’s possession show.
By Lars Johnsen
On Wednesday 12 June the postponed Court of Appeals trial against former Molde FK player Babacar Sarr was scheduled to begin. Sarr was in August last year found not guilty of rape, but ordered to pay compensation to the victim. The appeal, originally scheduled for February, had been postponed when Sarr’s former Molde teammate, and a key witness for the prosecution, Sonni Nattestad chose to play a friendly match for his new Danish club FC Fredericia (second level) against Middelfart Boldklub (third level) rather than appear in court.
The day before the June court date, it became clear that Sarr would not show up. According to state prosecutor Ingvild Thorn Nordheim, both defence lawyer Jørgen Løvdal and Sarr’s agent Jim Solbakken had confirmed that Sarr was fully aware of the court date. According to the prosecutor, Solbakken – in the role as Sarr’s agent – was on the defence team’s list of witnesses.
That same day, Damac FC of Saudi Arabia announced they had signed Babacar Sarr.
An international arrest warrant has now been issued for Sarr.
On 13 June, Solbakken denied to the local newspaper in Molde, Romsdals Budstikke, that he is Babacar Sarr’s agent. He denied having represented Sarr when the Senegalese player signed for Russian club FC Yenisey Krasnoyarsk in February. In spite of appearing as the player’s agent when dealing with the state prosecutor’s office, and never express...
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