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A1SP’s business acquaintance makes international news in a sensational story about a young football prodigy, and his fight against the scammers who almost destroyed his dreams.

 A1SP has customers all over the world – from the UK and Europe to Africa and outer Mongolia. In November 2019, our Commercial Manager, Nick Smith travelled to China to visit a production site, before heading north to Ulaanbaatar. During Nick’s three day visit, he met with clients and representatives from the Mongolian Government who had placed an order for one million immigration visas in April 2019. The ongoing communications were aided by translator and local businessman – Enkhjin Batsumber. “Enki” had accompanied Nick to meetings with Mongolian Government officials, providing translation and professional services. When retelling the story of his time in Mongolia, Nick commented:

“Enki really helped during my visit to Ulaanbaatar, providing translation and consultancy services, and his passion for football was also very clear!”

Whilst Nick’s visit to Mongolia had been a successful business trip, a larger story had emerged. Enki, who set up his own football team in Mongolia – Bayangol FC in 2013, had made international news when we became instrumental in the development of a young Mongolian footballer’s career, as well as his fight against the scammers who almost destroyed his dreams of playing professional football.

An article by the BBC in July, tells the story of Ochiroo Batbold, a schoolboy who battled against the odds and the elements to become a Mongolian Premier League hero. Known as Wazza, after Wayne Rooney, Ochiroo was scouted by Enki and Paul Wilson – an Englishman who had written a book about coaching in Micronesia. The two were so impressed with Ochiroo’s dedicated, watching him train in sub-zero temperatures at 6am, that they signed him to Bayangol FC.

The story then goes on to describe how Ochiroo was scammed by someone posing to be a US-based agent who promised a trial with the major US team, LA Galaxy. The “agent” required a fee of $6000, which Ochiroo paid only to never hear from him again. Ochiroo had borrowed the money from his family who used their home as collateral – a home which they now faced losing. Ochiroo’s dreams were in tatters.

However, the story does have a happy ending. Determined to get Ochiroo’s money back, Paul Watson set up a fundraiser to recover Ochiroo’s “life-changing” losses. Following a tremendous response from the football community and coverage by the international media, Ochiroo recovered enough money to save his home and rebuild the belief that he had lost.

Ochiroo was subsequently signed to a new, wealthy club – UB City, who became champions of Mongolia in 2019.

From the 14-year-old schoolboy training at 6am in sub-zero conditions in an empty gym, to a professional champion who overcame all the odds, Ochiroo’s story is truly inspirational.