Senegal Accuses Morocco of Endangering Players Before Afcon Final
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) has accused Morocco's local organizing committee of compromising their team's safety and preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final on Sunday. In a statement, the FSF expressed concerns over inadequate security, subpar accommodations, confusion regarding training facilities, and insufficient tickets for Senegalese fans.
Following their victory over Egypt in the semi-final in Tangier, Senegal's players embarked on a 75-minute journey to the capital, Rabat, via the Al-Boraq high-speed train. Upon arrival, they were greeted by a throng of fans and locals eager for selfies. Social media footage captures the players being jostled as they navigated through the station to their team bus.
FSF officials emphasized a "clear lack of adequate security measures," exposing players and technical staff to "overcrowding and risks incompatible with the standards of a competition of this magnitude and the prestige of a continental final."
Senegalese manager Pape Thiaw expressed outrage, stating, "It's abnormal for a team like Senegal to be left in such a chaotic situation. The players were in danger. Any malicious action could have led to unforeseen consequences."
Upon reaching their hotel, the Senegal delegation filed a formal complaint to improve their accommodations. The FSF also refused to train at the Mohammed VI complex, just outside Rabat, citing concerns over fairness, as it was the same facility used by the Moroccan squad since the tournament's inception.
Additionally, the FSF protested the allocation of only 2,850 tickets for Senegalese fans, terming it "insufficient given the demand." They expressed disappointment over the imposed restrictions, which they believed penalized the Senegalese public, considering the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium's capacity of 69,500.
Tensions have escalated in recent days, with visiting teams accusing Morocco of seeking every possible advantage. Nigeria expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing during their penalty shootout loss to the hosts in the semi-final, while Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali's towel was stolen three times by a ballboy and Moroccan officials.
Refereeing has been a recurring issue, with officials for all four quarter-finals being changed less than 24 hours before kickoff. This was partly due to Morocco's protest against the Egyptian official assigned for their match against Cameroon.
As a result, Samuel Eto'o, the president of the Cameroonian football federation, faced a $20,000 fine and a four-match ban for complaining about decisions during the game. The Confederation of African Football delayed announcing the referee for the final to prevent similar protests.
The organizing committee has been contacted for comment.
