CAF's Emeruwa Clears Air On Why Moroccan Police Prevented Rivers Utd From Training

CAF's Emeruwa Clears Air On Why Moroccan Police Prevented Rivers Utd From Training 

Niyi Busari 

Head of Safety and Security Department, Confederation of Africa Football, Dr Christian Emeruwa has cleared the air on why Rivers United was prevented to leave their Oum Palace hotel, Casablanca for a practice session by Moroccan Police on Friday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

River United who landed in Morocco in the late hours of Thursday had secured a facility for training Friday afternoon in preparation for the CAF Champions League crucial return leg against defending champions Wydad Casablanca.

According to Dr Emeruwa: "This is not the true position of things. The team booked a training site in Mohammedia which is a city outside Casablanca.

"In Morocco, the police cannot provide escort services beyond their jurisdiction as such they needed time to contact the Gendarmerie so that they can hand over and allow the Gendarmerie to escort the team to their training site. 

"Arranging such escort changeover requires some time and this was why the police asked the team to wait a bit as I type now the team is almost at the training site."

Recall Thursday morning, players and officials of the Pride of Rivers had a walk around the Oum Palace hotel.

The Nigeria Professional Football League defending champions who holds a 2-1 advantage going into this crunch battle, will seek to earn a spot in the group stage with a favourable result on Sunday.