WAFCON: “Hotel Room Given To Us In Morocco Was So Small; Me, My Roomate Couldn’t Move If We Opened Our Suitcases” — Plumptre

Super Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre has voiced her concerns about the poor facilities and inadequate support given to the Nigerian women’s national team during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournament in Morocco.

In an interview with Lagos Talks 91.3 FM, shared on Friday via X, Ashleigh Plumptre expressed frustration over the lack of basic recovery facilities—including a gym and swimming pool—at the team’s accommodation in Casablanca, where the Super Falcons played all their group-stage matches, along with the quarter-final and semi-final games.

“I think with some teams like England—obviously they’ve just won the Euros—the amount of investment and meticulous planning and structure and everything behind them is evident. It’s just like little things like the resources, what fields they’re training on, what their recovery is like,” she said.

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Plumptre explained that the shortage of essential amenities affected the team’s performance, with many players feeling worn out by the later stages of the tournament.

“For me and for some of the other girls, we were tired towards the end because we were put in a hotel in Morocco that didn’t have a gym. Towards the end of the tournament, we were taken to a public gym to be able to use,” she revealed.

When questioned about who was in charge of the team’s accommodation—whether it was the Nigerian Football Federation or the tournament hosts—Plumptre stated that the players didn’t have clarity on who made the arrangements.

“We actually don’t know… It’s CAF, organised by CAF, but I don’t know if it’s the Moroccan FA. Honestly, I’m not quite sure,” she said.

Plumptre revealed that the team was initially accommodated in a hotel with a small gym before the tournament, but during the main event, they were moved to a smaller hotel that didn’t have the required facilities.

“We didn’t have a gym or a pool or anything like that in our hotel. It was like one of those little hotels in the city,” she said.

She pointed out that the situation was particularly challenging for players like herself who were dealing with injuries and needed to stay fit.

“I had an injury last year and I’m still trying to keep loading my Achilles. Some of the girls also like to keep their strength up,” she added.

The defender commended team captain Rasheedat Ajibade for stepping up and trying to push for improved conditions on behalf of the players.

“As soon as we got to the hotel, she told all of us, ‘don’t unpack.’ She said we’re not going to stay here. She told the people in charge that we have to be able to move. Like, we’re here in a major tournament and we don’t have a gym,” Plumptre recalled.

Although the team ended up remaining in the hotel, the management responded to the tight space by allowing each player to have a separate room.

“Initially, we were in two to a room, but the rooms were really small. If myself and my roommate were to open our suitcases, we wouldn’t have been able to move. In the end, they did allow us to have a room each, which definitely helped,” Plumptre said.

The Super Falcons emerged victorious at the 2024 WAFCON, clinching the title with a 3-2 win over host nation Morocco in the final.

The post WAFCON: “Hotel Room Given To Us In Morocco Was So Small; Me, My Roomate Couldn’t Move If We Opened Our Suitcases” — Plumptre appeared first on Information Nigeria.