Canada soccer coach claims Vancouver Whitecaps players were 'poisoned' during cup final trip to Mexico

Neil Davidson · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 06, 2025 5:32 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Canada manager Jesse Marsch expressed outrage Friday, saying Vancouver Whitecaps players had been "poisoned" during their sojourn to Mexico for the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.

The Whitecaps issued a connection Thursday saying astir fractional of the 75 radical who returned to Vancouver connected the team's charter level aft Sunday's crippled had reported symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness.

Whitecaps players Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe and Jayden Nelson missed grooming aft arriving sick successful the Canadian campy successful Halifax up of Saturday's crippled astatine Toronto's BMO Field betwixt Canada and Ukraine successful the inaugural Canadian Shield tournament. 

"They're amended now," Marsch said earlier speaking astatine a Canada Ukraine Foundation meal Friday. "They're astir apt not acceptable for 90-minute performances [Saturday]. But for me, it's appalling that this is the 2nd twelvemonth successful a enactment that CONCACAF and the powers that beryllium person allowed an MLS squad to spell down to Mexico for a large last and get poisoned.

"It's ridiculous. Something has to beryllium done to support these environments."

The Columbus Crew besides complained of tummy unwellness aft their nonaccomplishment astatine Mexico's CF Pachuca successful past year's Champions Cup final. Crew manager Wilfried Nancy confirmed afterwards that astir the full roster and coaching unit had been stricken by what the nine believed to beryllium nutrient poisoning.

Marsch acknowledged helium had nary impervious of poisoning but added, "It's not random that 2 years successful a enactment that this has happened."

"If I were the Vancouver Whitecaps, if I was the Columbus Crew, if I was MLS, I would beryllium angry. I would beryllium perfectly aggravated that this had been allowed to happen," helium said.

Whitecaps caput manager Jesper Sorensen said Friday that helium doesn't judge idiosyncratic intentionally got his squad sick. 

"I don't expect america to beryllium deliberately poisoned oregon thing erstwhile we were down there. But I don't know," helium said. 

Marsch has acquisition of being astatine the receiving extremity of acheronian arts portion visiting Mexico with the U.S. oregon a nine team, citing occurrence alarms successful the mediate of the nighttime and dancing and singing extracurricular their hotel.

"And those are somewhat spirited, competitory advantages that are created erstwhile you spell down to Mexico," helium said. "But poisoning the squad is different version."

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Marsch said his knowing was that the Whitecaps were suffering from nutrient poisoning.

Vancouver arrived successful Mexico City past Friday and were trounced 5-0 by Cruz Azul successful Sunday's last of CONCACAF's elite nine competition.

"Not lone person we mislaid the game, besides we person picked up immoderate benignant of a microorganism and are dealing with that close now," Vancouver sporting manager and CEO Axel Schuster told reporters Thursday. 

Schuster said it was "unlikely" immoderate of Vancouver's players experienced symptoms during the game. 

The nine said successful a connection Thursday that it is moving with section wellness authorities and an infectious illness adept regarding the illness.

The Whitecaps cancelled a planned grooming league connected Wednesday and held a modified idiosyncratic league connected Thursday for players who had been cleared by aesculapian staff. Some players returned to the tract for grooming connected Friday, but near the league early, Sorensen said. 

Vancouver is scheduled to big the Seattle Sounders connected Sunday, but Sorensen said helium can't envision his squad being acceptable for the game. 

"I don't privation to hazard our players. That's the astir important happening for me. The astir important happening is the wellness and attraction for the players," the manager said. "For now, it looks hard for america to enactment up a squad for a crippled that we should beryllium capable to vie successful the MLS. But that's conscionable my opinion."

When asked aft grooming Friday, Marsch did not retreat from his comments.

"It's obvious, you don't tally into 2 years and a last and MLS teams getting nutrient poisoning," helium said. "I get it, wherefore they can't accidental anything. They're not sure, and I'm not definite either. But this is excessively overmuch of a coincidence. It's a shame."

CONCACAF declined to remark connected Marsch's assertion.

While the confederation takes full power of the Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations League, it acts successful much of a enactment relation successful the Champions Cup. It offers fiscal enactment and, if needed, logistical proposal to teams competing successful the nine competition.