Nyasa Big Bullets have blamed their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League 2-0 preliminary round second leg loss to Simba SC in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Sunday on food poisoning.

The People’s Team were booted out of the continental showpiece  on a 4-0 aggregate scoreline after losing the first leg by a similar margin at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe a week earlier.

Bullets’ Gomezgani Chirwa (R) and McFarlen Mgwira (L) challenge Simba’s Augustine Okrah during the match

Bullets chief executive officer  Suzgo Nyirenda said they have reported the matter to CAF and demanded a report from the management of the hotel after hospital tests proved their suspicions.

He dismissed suggestions that they were trying to find a scapegoat for their loss.

He said: “The food poisoning happened after the match coordination had  taken place.

“In actual fact, we realised that some players were feeling dizzy and opening bowels before we left the hotel for the match venue.”

He claimed that after the match, three players and two officials underwent tests at Abu Khan Hospital where food poisoning was confirmed.

He said: “At this point, we do not want to point a finger at anyone, neither are we saying it was our opponents because we do not have such evidence until the process is finalised.

“We took up the matter with the Crown Plaza Hotel management to investigate what really happened and we have also informed the match commissioner about the development.

“We expect a detailed report from the hotel in the next 48 hours.”

The Nation has established that the players that were affected were Alick Lungu, Babatunde Adepoju, Hassan Kajoke, Precious Phiri and Lanjesi Nkhoma.

In an interview yesterday, one of the players said: “Upon arrival at the stadium, I started feeling weak and tired. It was as if I was drunk when I do not drink at all. I knew something was amiss.” 

Football Association of Malawi competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka said they are waiting for an update from the head of delegation to determine whether it is an issue worth following up.

He said: “But according to the rules and regulations, the visiting team, in this case Bullets, is responsible for booking for its accommodation and food.

“So, perhaps the crucial part will be the report from the hotel as the host team was not involved in the process.”

In a separate interview, sports marketing consultant Felix Ngamanya Sapao said while such tactics are applied, especially in East Africa, it would be difficult to cry foul as all logistics are done by the visiting team.

“Such tricks are played and Bullets were warned and given advice on the same, but they chose to ignore it. That said, I doubt if the investigations will change anything as all the logistics as regards to hotel bookings and so on were done by Bullets themselves,” he said.

The post Bullets ‘cry foul’  appeared first on The Nation Online.