Canada soccer coach claims Vancouver Whitecaps players were ‘poisoned’ during cup final trip to Mexico
Canada men’s national team coach Jesse Marsch has expressed shock and anger after Vancouver Whitecaps players fell ill during their trip to Mexico for the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. The Whitecaps revealed that half of the 75 people on their charter plane back to Vancouver after Sunday’s game reported symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness.
Players Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe, and Jayden Nelson were too sick to train after returning to the Canadian camp in Halifax ahead of Saturday’s game against Ukraine in the Canadian Shield tournament at BMO Field in Toronto.
“It’s appalling that for the second year in a row, CONCACAF has allowed an MLS team to go to Mexico for a major final and end up getting sick,” Marsch stated before speaking at a Canada Ukraine Foundation event.
Last year, the Columbus Crew also experienced stomach illness after their loss in the Champions Cup final in Mexico. Crew coach Wilfried Nancy confirmed that nearly the entire team had been affected by what they believed to be food poisoning.
Marsch admitted that there was no concrete evidence of poisoning but emphasized that it was highly suspicious for the same scenario to occur two years in a row.
“If I were the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Columbus Crew, or MLS, I would be furious that this has happened again,” he added.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen stated that he did not believe the illness was intentional but was unsure of the cause. Marsch, drawing on his own experiences in Mexico, highlighted the competitive advantages teams try to gain but stressed that food poisoning was a step too far.
Despite the challenges, Vancouver is cooperating with health authorities and infectious disease experts to investigate the illness further. The team canceled training sessions and held modified sessions for cleared players, but their upcoming match against the Seattle Sounders is in doubt.
Marsch’s outspoken comments have drawn attention to the issue, with CONCACAF declining to comment on the situation. The confederation, which oversees various regional competitions, plays a supportive role in the Champions Cup but does not have direct control over the event.
The health and safety of players are paramount, and the incidents involving Vancouver and Columbus highlight the need for better safeguards when teams travel for important matches. It remains to be seen how the situation will be resolved and what measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
