Controversies are a common occurrence in African football. Unpaid bonuses in Nigeria, teams resorting to witchcraft against rivals, and other situations that can be hard to grasp from a European perspective.
However, the latest alleged scandal goes beyond all previous limits, as Senegal, who this Sunday face hosts Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final, have accused the tournament organisers of several manipulations in their preparation that could indirectly affect what happens on the pitch.
The 2021 champions claim they have not been provided with proper security, decent accommodation, a fair training ground, or enough tickets for the decisive match of the tournament.
"The FSF informs the national and international public, as well as the organising bodies, of the ongoing dysfunctions in the preparation for the Africa Cup final," began the Senegalese Federation in a lengthy statement detailing all their grievances.
Numerous points of contention
Senegal has raised several issues, starting with the lack of security, which allegedly put the players' safety at risk:
"The FSF denounces the clear absence of adequate security measures upon our team's arrival at Rabat train station. This shortcoming exposed the players and technical staff to close contact with local fans, which falls short of the standards expected for a competition of this magnitude and a continental final," they explained.
They also expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of their initial accommodation: "Regarding hotel logistics, the FSF has lodged an official protest. Following this action, a five-star hotel was finally assigned to our team, ensuring the right conditions for the final."
The Senegalese were also unhappy with the training venue: "The FSF notified CAF of its refusal to train at the Mohamed VI complex. This decision is due to the fact that these facilities are the base of the rival team, raising concerns about sporting fairness.
"Furthermore, the FSF specifies that, to date, it has still not been informed of the training location for the Senegalese team ahead of the final," they stated.
Finally, they suggested they are not being allowed to purchase enough tickets for the final: "The situation is concerning. The FSF wishes to clarify that the official package includes only two VVIP tickets and regrets the inability to acquire VIP and VVIP tickets, as was possible during the semi-finals.
"However, the Federation was able to purchase tickets for its fans, up to the maximum limits officially authorised by CAF, namely: 300 tickets in Category 1,850 in Category 2, and 1,700 in Category 3. The FSF believes these numbers are insufficient given the demand and claims that the imposed restrictions penalise Senegalese supporters," they concluded.