TENSIONS rose on the eve of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final with Senegal head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw criticising a lack of security for his players when they arrived in Rabat ahead of tonight’s final and were mobbed at the city’s train station.
The players had no security escort as they got off the train after a 90-minute trip on Friday from Tangier, where they had been based through their first six games of the tournament.
His remarks at the pre-match press conference yesterday prompted one local journalist to try to defend Morocco’s organisers, drawing howls of protest from Senegalese counterparts.
Earlier yesterday, the Senegal Football Federation issued a statement condemning not only the lack of security on arrival in Rabat but also the standard of their accommodation and training facilities ahead of the final against the host nation.
“Today, Africa’s image is at stake. Our competition, which no one used to watch, is now very prestigious. We mustn’t squander that,” Thiaw said.
“So far, the organisation has been excellent, and a big thank you to Morocco. But we all witnessed what happened yesterday.
“A well-organised event needs to be properly finished; it’s important. What happened yesterday was unacceptable. A team like Senegal, getting off the train, is left facing a crowd like that; the players were in danger,” he added.
There have been muted accusations that CAF is subtly favouring Morocco as the Atlas Lions bid to win their first AFCON title in 50 years.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria were unhappy with the officiating by Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea in their semi-final defeat to Morocco, with Cameroon also condemning the refereeing in their quarter-final loss to the hosts.