By Kwame Boakye-Gyan
In light of the food poisoning incident that affected Columbus Crew SC before their final against Pachuca, coach Wilfried Nancy hopes CONCACAF will contemplate holding future Champions Cup finals at neutral locations.
Nancy emphasized on Tuesday that the initiative was intended for all teams, not just her own. “A neutral site is the most suitable location for a final like this, regardless of the countries involved.”
Nancy mentioned that several of his players fell ill two days before the match, possibly due to food poisoning, according to the team doctor. The president and general manager of Columbus at the time, Tim Bezbatchenko, made a suggestion that “subterfuge” might have had an impact on the crew’s performance.
Nancy clarified on Tuesday that she is not a sore loser. I have a strong aversion to losing, but I do acknowledge and respect defeat. Despite the fact that we were all sick before the game, I chose not to mention it.
Something did happen in that area, and it’s a fact. Everyone was healthy, but when we woke up, we were all sick.
The Crew arrived in Pachuca on May 30 and ate at their team hotel that evening, with several players falling ill in the hours following, according to the Columbus Dispatch. By the end of the week, the outbreak had spread extensively. Bezbatchenko mentioned that the count of affected team members and staff was in the teens.
An unnamed source from the Crew locker room revealed to The Athletic last week that there were suspicions about the club’s food being tainted, but the matter hasn’t been a significant concern for anyone.
Nancy emphasized that Pachuca won 3-0, but she wanted to avoid any misunderstandings. In my upbringing, it was taught that when you lose 3-0, you remain silent.
To ensure fairness in the future, we could consider playing one game at a neutral site. It’s not an excuse, it’s a fact from my perspective.
Unlike many other North American sports brackets, the CONCACAF Champions Cup final doesn’t automatically grant home advantage to the higher seed. The selection of the finalist is based on their performance in previous rounds of the tournament, determined by total points and goal differential.
