Just a few days before the start of the AFCON 2023, the Scorpions of Gambia are going through troubled times. While Tom Saintfiet’s team was supposed to join Ivory Coast this Wednesday, the journey was cut short due to a lack of oxygen. A disaster was narrowly avoided.
The information is not at all positive. While the various teams qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 are safely heading to Ivory Coast, where the competition will take place from January 13 to February 11, Gambia’s journey almost turned into a tragedy this Wednesday. After a hectic day marked by the threat of key players demanding their bonuses before moving, the Gambian delegation experienced the fright of their lives as they headed to AFCON 2023 in the evening.
Gambia Escapes the Worst
Indeed, according to reports, a concerning incident occurred during the flight transporting the Gambian delegation to Ivory Coast. According to information, several players fainted moments after takeoff due to a lack of oxygen in the plane. The aircraft (Air Côte d’Ivoire) provided for the Gambian delegation was reportedly too small, leading to this terrifying situation. Subsequently, the plane returned to Gambia, having turned around during the journey with the entire delegation for AFCON 2023 on board.
Placed in Group C at AFCON 2023 alongside Senegal, Guinea, and Cameroon, Gambia is going through a difficult period. Currently, there are reports of dazed players, including two in a state of intense shock. After the emergency landing, a member of the Gambian delegation recounted the terrifying experience.
“The pilot quickly turned back”
“The situation was frightening; we all panicked when some started to faint, but thank God we weren’t too far from Gambia because we had flown for about 15 to 20 minutes. The pilot quickly turned back to Banjul airport, where we landed safely, although it should be noted that two of our players are in a state of shock and may not travel with us tomorrow when we resume the journey to Ivory Coast,” he said in statements relayed by Malang Sarr, a journalist based between Senegal and Gambia.
Qualified for the 34th edition of the biggest football event on the African continent, the team led by Belgian Tom Saintfiet will take to the skies again this Thursday with fear and likely incomplete. This is bad news for Gambia, which is not starting AFCON 2023 in the best conditions. As mentioned earlier, the Scorpions boycotted training on Tuesday to demand bonuses before heading to Ivory Coast, information confirmed by the former Togolese national team coach.
The new setback that could change everything?
After the qualification feat, the Gambian players boarded their flight to reach the country of Didier Drogba, who is hosting AFCON 2023, in a somber atmosphere. While they have probably achieved their financial demands, the players certainly did not expect to experience this new trying moment on the plane. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the next flight to proceed under the best conditions for Gambia, which will have a challenging start to the competition by facing the defending champions, Senegal, in 4 days.
Who knows, perhaps the difficult moments that the small landlocked nation within Senegal is going through are the prelude to significant surprises. Like Zambia in 2012, Gambians can nurture hopes of a monumental achievement. In any case, according to bookmakers and the Opta supercomputer, Gambia’s chances of winning the upcoming AFCON, which starts on Saturday, are almost nil.
What are your thoughts on Gambia’s situation?
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