Canada head coach Jesse Marsch alleged Friday that Vancouver Whitecaps gamers have been “poisoned” throughout their journey to Mexico for the Concacaf Champions Cup last, regardless of the MLS membership saying they consider that gamers solely fell in poor health following the sport.
Final week, the Whitecaps have been surprised in a 5-0 thrashing by Cruz Azul on this yr’s last of the Champions Cup held in Mexico Metropolis. Vancouver launched an announcement on Thursday saying after “the crew’s return from Mexico, a big variety of Whitecaps FC gamers and employees reported gastrointestinal signs.”
It’s the second yr in a row that an MLS crew reported gamers falling in poor health whereas in Mexico for a Champions Cup last, after a number of Columbus Crew gamers went into their last loss to Pachuca with a number of members of the squad affected by gastrointestinal points.
And Marsch mentioned the 2 incidents have been no coincidence as he voiced frustration that three members of his Canada squad from the Whitecaps have been hampered forward of their Canadian Defend match with Ukraine on Saturday.
“They’re higher now,” Marsch advised Canadian media of Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe, and Jayden Nelson. “They’re in all probability not prepared for 90-minute performances. However for me, it is appalling that that is the second yr in a row that Concacaf and the powers that be have allowed an MLS crew to go all the way down to Mexico for an enormous last and get poisoned.”
“It is ridiculous. One thing must be executed to guard these environments.”
Concacaf had no remark when approached by ESPN, whereas Cruz Azul didn’t reply to an strategy for remark.
No formal criticism or request for an investigation into the matter has been filed by Vancouver, a supply mentioned.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen mentioned Friday that he does not assume his crew have been deliberately sickened.
“I do not count on us to be intentionally poisoned or something once we have been down there. However I do not know,” he advised reporters.
On the last, golf equipment are chargeable for all logistics, together with the place they keep and eat. Earlier than the Whitecaps arrived, the crew had a dietitian despatched to Mexico and an skilled chef additionally made the journey with the crew, in keeping with a supply.
Vancouver sporting director Axel Schuster advised ESPN Friday that the crew’s evaluation of what occurred is ongoing, however early indications are that no matter occurred to the crew’s gamers and employees passed off after Sunday’s match whereas touring again to Canada.
“We’re engaged on the signs and guarantee that everybody will get wholesome as quickly as attainable,” he mentioned. “On the similar time we’re working by way of the evaluation of what actually occurred and the place the origin was or the completely different origins have been. And to this point our evaluation results in the idea that it occurred after the sport, someplace on the best way again.”
Schuster indicated that the crew was in “full management” of the meals that the crew ate previous to the match. Schuster additionally famous that round 50% of the touring occasion that returned on the crew flight fell in poor health, however of those that did not come again on the crew flight, solely about one in 12 reported signs.
“There may be clearly one thing to it, and I used to be there with the crew on a regular basis and I’ve eaten each meals and I’ve participated in each crew lunch, dinner. I’ve eaten the whole lot,” Schuster mentioned. “I’ve eaten means an excessive amount of. The meals was excellent, and I have not eaten something after the match. And sure, possibly the identical for our head scout, the identical for Steve Nash who was there, our proprietor together with his son and another individuals and all of these had no signs.
“So simply by the logic of it, it feels prefer it was extra associated to one thing that occurred after the sport.”
Schuster added that what befell his facet this yr could be very completely different to what occurred final yr in final yr’s Champions Cup last involving the Columbus Crew.
“The one factor I can say is the distinction between Columbus final yr and us this yr is that Columbus was going into the sport they usually had already huge points with it, they usually felt already, ‘OK, one thing is occurring to our crew,'” Schuster mentioned. “That wasn’t the case for us.”
Marsch acknowledged that he did not have any proof that Whitecaps gamers have been poisoned.
“Look I haven’t got any proof right here that this [happened] nevertheless it’s not random,” he added. “It isn’t random that two years in a row this has occurred. If I have been the Vancouver Whitecaps, if I have been the Columbus Crew, if I have been MLS, I’d be completely indignant that this has been allowed to occur.”