The arrival of Morocco for the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon has caused a stir in the capital, Yaounde.
The 86-man delegation, including 28 players, technical and administrative staff, landed in Yaounde on Sunday.
They joined early birds Ethiopia, Sudan and Zimbabwe, who jetted in the country earlier for camps ahead of the tournament that is scheduled to begin on Sunday.
The arrival of the Atlas Lions has not however been talk of the city as a result of the fact they arrived early, but because the team has come along with tonnes of food, cooks, mattresses, beds and hotel staff to work in their temporary abode in Yaounde.
Moroccan daily newspaper, Al Ahdath Al Maghribia (The Moroccan News) reported that the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has taken the decision to avoid any contamination of players in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The federation has ensured rooms and other compartments at the team’s hotel in Yaounde are sterilised, while beddings and blankets have been replaced by those transported from the Kingdom.
Local hotel staff with direct contact to players have been replaced by those also ferried from Morocco, while security agents have also been brought in.
Analysts say say however that traveling with home foods by teams to a competition is not a novelty as many countries do that during tournaments and even during qualifiers.
“It is surprising that Morocco’s cuisine, hygiene and health precautions have been blown out of proportion,” said Franklin Sone Bayen, a Sports Analyst and former reporter, who has covered international competitions including the World Cup.
“I have travelled with the Cameroon national team and that practice is not uncommon even with them. For the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Cameroon delegation traveled with foodstuff from home and its own chefs,” Bayen explained.
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