The Senegalese Football Association expressed its deep concern about what it described as “a number of organizational and security failures that accompanied the preparations for the final match of the African Cup of Nations,” which is scheduled to bring together the Senegalese team and its Moroccan counterpart tomorrow, Sunday.
The Senegalese Federation said in an official statement issued today, Saturday, that the Senegalese national team delegation faced, upon its arrival at the train station in the capital, Rabat, a complete absence of organization and necessary security arrangements, which led to severe crowding, placing the players and members of the technical staff in conditions that the Federation considered unsafe and unacceptable.
The statement stressed that what happened was not in line with the standards that are supposed to be available in a major continental tournament, especially in a final match of this size.
The statement also touched on another crisis related to accommodation arrangements, as it indicated that the Senegalese Federation was forced to issue an official protest by writing to the organizing authorities, to demand the provision of a hotel worthy of the level of the national team.
After this move, a five-star hotel was allocated to the “Lions of Teranga” mission, which contributed to providing suitable conditions for rest and recovery before the decisive meeting.
At the end of its statement, the Senegalese Federation called on the Confederation of African Football and the tournament organizing committee to intervene urgently and take immediate corrective measures to ensure respect for the principles of justice, equal opportunities and security, considering this to be a basic condition for the success of this major African football event.
