MAMELODI Sundowns are hopping mad!
So annoyed are the African champions that the club’s general manager Yogesh Singh sent a strongly worded letter to the continental controlling body, the Confederation of African Football (Caf), via the SA Football Association (Safa) yesterday.
Downs are crying foul over the fact that they have not been given training facilities in Rabat, Morocco, ahead of their Caf Champions League quarterfinal, second leg showdown with Moroccan champions Wydad Athletic Club (WAC), better known as Wydad Casablanca, on Saturday.
The defending champions, who take a 1-0 lead into the second leg, arrived in Morocco yesterday and are fuming.
The match was originally scheduled for the city of Casablanca but the home side moved it to Rabat.
Singh told Caf in his letter: “As you are aware, the Sundowns advanced team has been in Morocco since last Thursday to check the training venue and arrange accommodation and logistics in Rabat.
“Despite communicating with the WAC delegation incessantly and on a daily basis, we have still not been told which facility will be put at Sundowns’ disposal to train.
“We have tried and made all attempts possible to reach out to WAC officials and the officials of the Moroccan FA to assist us but we have received no assistance and have been shunted from pillar to post. Safa and Mr Ismail Wally have also tried to assist us to no avail thus far.”
Downs were due to train in Rabat last night, but Singh continued: “The team does not have a training venue – so our first training session and our preparation will be compromised.
“WAC are not co-operating with us and this is not adhering to Fifa Fair Play nor to any code of sportsmanship,” he added.
“When Sundowns hosted WAC for the first leg this past week, the club ensured that in our country we provided WAC with all the support and the best treatment we could offer a visiting team.
“WAC officials confirmed that they were very happy with the professionalism exhibited by Sundowns and undertook, in the presence of Caf and Safa officials, to reciprocate this in Morocco.
“WAC have not treated us well in this respect and we are deeply frustrated at their misconduct, which in our view constitutes unsportsmanlike conduct, is very unfair on us and brings the name of this prestigious Caf tournament into disrepute.
“As we mentioned we do not have a training venue and as a consequence the training programme and preparation of Mamelodi Sundowns have been upset and the club has been prejudiced.
“In addition we have not had sight of the bus that should be provided to the delegation on arrival and can only pray that this will be in order.”
Sundowns have asked for Caf’s urgent intervention.
